Being as I just warded off this year’s nasty flu that’s going around the northern hemisphere, I wanted to share how - and hear about others’ personal tried & true preventatives and early symptoms cures. Well-established LCHF/keto is a fabulous front line against colds/flus due to absence of sugar - but getting through the cold/flu seasons of increasingly worse strains can be a challenge, esp if you’re extra-stressed and/or someone who interacts with lots of people or who travels in germ-heavy conditions like trains, planes, busses (where an air pollution filter half-mask/half-scarf may be a lifesaver, especially if you’re a singer or speaker). Certainly there are some folks who prefer The Flu Shot, and it’s heavily advertised in drugstores and elsewhere - however it still doesn’t guarantee you won’t get the flu!
For about 15 years I’ve often been saved by Oscillococcinum - it’s my personal go-to for both prevention and acute remedy during the oscillations of weather that come with the change of seasons and the strange early symptoms of the flu (and works for colds too). Though I’m not a big fan of homeopathy due to its relatively short history as opposed to herbalism, I was amazed at the specific efficacy this remedy has for flu which I learned about through hearing many anecdotal stories when I was a manager at a natural foods store and when I worked in a wellness center where it was a basic winter recommendation. Oscillo has a grounding effect on the nervous system similar to the instant calming effect of putting on a hat and scarf to brave the cold, except at a more comprehensive level. (And it has negligible carbs, as in 1g per dose). Regardless of whether or not you like european homeopathy (used by the British royal family and other famous folks across the pond as their primary medicine for several generations and commonly sold in UK pharmacies) - this particular homeopathic is so efficacious (for reasons beyond placebo effect) that it’s won over many a skeptic and is now being sold in drugstores across the US as an alternative to the shots, etc. (It’s basically quantum level diluted duck liver & heart - contained in a tiny dose of lactose/sucrose pellets, dissolved under the tongue). I try to take Oscillo once a month as a preventative throughout the autumn/winter (it’s one of the few homeopathics that works in a preventative capacity for all constitutions, usually they’re only for acute symptoms) - and have it in my cupboard in case symptoms start before I start my regimen! And sure enough, yesterday- not having yet begun my regimen - I noticed the onset of those classic flu-like weird aches and fatigue, and was able to take it. I took 3 doses, 12 hours apart. The first dose was the biggest help, and the subsequent doses just kind of reaffirmed it. And now it’s GONE. I expect I’ll have to ward it off another time or two before summer is here again.
Being that I have two coworkers who’ve been out weeks battling the new heinous flu, am very grateful for Oscillo - I’ve not had a full-blown flu or heinous cold in well over a decade (many pre-keto years - prob because of a relatively low sugar/carb intake and non-grazing, along with a high intake of dietary Ginger and other spices - or was it mainly the Oscillo? Who knows…). Oscillo also works great for folks who are allergic to the albumin in flu shots or who have other concerns about the efficacy or safety of the yearly shots etc.
Other favorite flu/cold remedies & preventatives are garlic soup made w/ 40-50 cloves (ideal homemade and waiting for you in the freezer ready to heat up):
https://www.cochrane.org/CD006206/ARI_garlic-common-cold
I also try to make a ginger/onion/chilli saute most days when cooking in the cold weather to have within all sorts of meals because it’s so flavor-enhancing along with excellent for inner warmth & circulation - plus it makes the house smell AMAZING and CHEERY.
Other powerful warming allies while working at a desk: Fresh Ginger tea, Tulsi/Holy Basil tea brewed strong, Siberian Taiga tea brewed strong, and bone broth/collagen in a mug with Thyme, Sea Salt, dash of Cayenne, and some tasty fat with a few floating wolfberries/goji berries for Vit. C (necessary for collagen synthesis).
Also, in a pinch when headed home feeling yucky - Thai Hot & Spicy seafood soup broth from any good Thai restaurant (much lower sugar than Chinese hot & sour soup, and generally no MSG) you can down the broth and save the protein for later if you feel digestively off, then straight to bed with a beanie hat or headscarf to sweat it out. You can also apply a warming soothing essential oil (such as lemon, orange, ginger, yarrow, black pepper, black sesame, eucalyptus, clove, thyme, rosemary) diluted in any good fat onto your feet then put on comfy socks for extra warming - or give yourself a old-fashioned hydrotherapy treatment of a footbath soak for 15-20 minutes (with a towel draping your knees to the feet and a kettle of hot water nearby to top it up as it cools) - it moves the circulation and relieves sinus headache, sniffles, and aches wonderfully. Or a regular bath in a tub, with drops of essential oils or a cup of ground mustard seeds or some epsom salts - just keep the bathroom warm or wear a cosy hat!
For allergic sinus headache - which I had last week related to tons of dusty wind - sometimes two aspirin are a lifesaver. That’s what I finally used, after it hung on for a whole day and was quite bad both sitting and laying down (and I had no oomph for preparing a foot bath and forgot about essential oils). 6 capsules of White Willow bark also work, to get about the same amount of salycilic acid, if you’re not allergic to White Willow and you have some on hand (it’s much more expensive than aspirin). I had some, but I forgot I had it and opted for the aspirin which is harsher on the system but very speedy.
How about you and yours? Being that this is a global forum, there are a lot of different cultural traditions and family remedies, etc.