With colds, flu, and COVID-19 kicking up this time of year, we all want to know how to bolster our immune systems and what to do at the first tickle of trouble. Here are some first-line herbs and supplements to consider keeping on hand.

Managing Cold & Flu Season

First things first: If you feel an infection coming on, the old standbys matter most:

• plenty of rest interspersed with gentle movement
• ample fluids (especially hot fluids including tea, broth, or soup)
• good hygiene, to prevent spreading the infection to others

You may also consider testing to find out if you’re positive for COVID-19 or the flu.

When to Seek Medical Attention

While most people experience day-to-day respiratory infections without needing medical care, nothing—including herbs, vaccines, or pharmaceuticals—guarantees an illness outcome. Every body is unique. If you’re at high risk for serious outcomes, talk with your healthcare provider.

If you experience potentially life-threatening symptoms, including the following, seek immediate medical attention:

• Difficulty Breathing
• Shortness of Breath
• Lips or Face Turning Blue
• Chest Pains or Pressure
• Fainting or Sudden Dizziness or Weakness
• Confusion
• Difficulty Speaking
• Uncontrolled Bleeding
• Severe or Persistent Vomiting or Diarrhea

Supplements for Cold & Flu

• Elderberry

  Both traditional use and scientific evidence supports this berry’s ability to reduce the severity of viral infections. Viruses hijack your cells and reprogram them to make more viruses, which allows the virus to spread more virulently. Elderberry works at least in part by binding to cell receptor sites to block viruses, including the common cold, flu, and non-COVID-19 coronavirus species.

  This herb has a long history of use for infection, particularly bacterial infections and sepsis (a life-threatening state that warrants immediate medical care). It has many immune actions including mobilizing white blood cells to fight infections more aggressively and modulating and reducing inflammation as well as helping the body clear infectious debris in the lymphatic system. Though herbalists most often think of echinacea as an immune mobilizer at the first sign of infection, it also offers benefits for prevention.

• Echinacea

  A 2022 study tested the preventative benefits of 2,400 milligrams of echinacea extract along with additional acute support versus a control group with no treatment. The echinacea group fared better against viruses, including COVID-19.

  One review of 231 studies concluded that people were 55 percent more likely to experience a cold when taking a placebo versus echinacea. An early study on ginger and echinacea in combination suggested benefits at COVID-19 infection onset (described below).

  Herbalists prefer high doses of fresh echinacea tincture—ideally the root or a mix of the root with aerial parts—taken every waking hour or two from the first tickle of an infection until it passes. Echinacea extract numbs the tongue, doesn’t taste great, may cause a flareup of autoimmune disease, and occasionally causes allergies in people who react to other daisy family plants.

• Ginger

  One of the most recognized home remedies worldwide for everyday infections, ginger shows promise in preliminary studies for COVID-19 support.

  In an Iranian clinical trial early in the pandemic of 100 suspected COVID-19 outpatients, those taking a combination of ginger and echinacea had greater improvement in coughing, shortness of breath, and muscle pain compared to the group that took hydroxychloroquine. Two percent of the herb group required hospitalization compared to 6 percent in the drug group—which was not statistically significant.

  Ginger has anti-inflammatory, sweat-inducing, fever-breaking, blood-thinning, and antiviral activity. The fresh-grated or juiced ginger root in tea, broth, syrup, or juice may be more effective than dried root for viral infections. It’s popular in tea alongside fresh lemon and honey and also blends well with elderberry and hibiscus, cinnamon, or thyme.

• Resveratrol

  Several studies support the likelihood of this phytochemical to assist in various stages of COVID-19. It’s found in red grapes but more typically extracted from Japanese knotweed roots. It’s also known as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, blood-thinning, immune-regulatory, and antimicrobial herb popular in anti-aging, pain, cognition, diabetes, chronic and acute Lyme, cardiovascular, and other protocols.

  A 2022 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study on 105 outpatients ages 45 and older with mild COVID-19 found that those taking two 500 milligram capsules of trans-resveratrol twice daily for 7 to 15 days had 2 percent hospitalization versus 6 percent in the placebo group.

  Herbal clinicians anecdotally report that resveratrol supplementation during COVID-19 resolution seems to relieve or reduce fatigue in the later stages of infection and post-infection.

• More Options

  Additional herbs and supplements worth considering include:

  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin D
  • Quercetin
  • Zinc
  • Turmeric
  • Nigella
  • Black Cumin
  • Black Seed
  • Tulsi
  • Ashwagandha
  • Raw Garlic
  • Fire Cider
  • Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulas
  • N-acetylcysteine (NAC)

Because COVID-19 is relatively new and research takes time and funding, only a handful of clinical trials have been conducted thus far, mostly on traditional Asian medicine formulas. However, more herbal clinical trials for COVID-19 are in progress.

Reprinted with permission from Earth Medicines: Ancestral Wisdom, Healing Recipes, and Wellness Rituals from a Curandera by Felicia Cocotzin Ruiz ($24.95, Shambhala Publications, 2021)

The Power of Fire

Whether you are relaxing around a campfire, hypnotized by its flames or listening closely to the news of a nearby brushfire, Fire captures everyone’s attention. An alchemist by design, Fire is transmutative. The energy behind its flame is one of mystery, change, and destruction.

Nonetheless, after even the greatest of destruction comes renewal and rebirth as demonstrated by the mythological phoenix. Illuminating people with its medicine, Fire is the strongest and most powerful of all the elements, and it is something that I was taught to respect.

Ceremonial Fire

Throughout my life, I have witnessed Fire keepers tending to Fire for ceremony or dance. Fire keepers are designated community members upholding the age-old tradition of keeping a fire strong and hot, working with it, praying to it, and showing it utmost respect.

Keeping the fire strong is not simply for heating stones that may be used in a sweat lodge or providing light and warmth for a dance. It is also representative of the spiritual energy of the ceremony or gathering, which is why a fire needs to remain strong and must never die out until the end of the ceremony.

Depending on the tribe or tradition, sacred aromatics may be placed on the hot rocks heated by this sacred flame. This exchange is an offering and a prayer of gratitude. It is a reminder that when you work with Fire to see it as a living entity.

Fire for Your Body and Spirit

Nourishing my body with the bright Fire of the sun is not only one of my beauty secrets for glowing skin, but it is also a key to good gut health.

Eating daily an array of colorful fruits and vegetables is nutritionally healing, and their colors transport me to memories of sunny days. It’s no wonder that when many of us experience high levels of stress or consume too many processed foods, we can send our digestive systems into high alert.

Nutrient-rich plant foods infused with the sun not only invigorate our metabolism, but they can also energize our spirit.

Warming Herbs and Spices

Warming herbs such as ginger have widely been used for the digestive system, helping with ailments such as an upset stomach, nausea, and indigestion.

While studying Ayurvedic cooking, I learned that several of my common kitchen spices could be eaten to increase the digestion of food and raise the metabolic process in our bodies.

This is valuable because a strong metabolism causes more heat in the body, which helps with the digestion process and is believed to help break down and transform food. This action is called agni, the fire of digestion.;

Hence, consuming the correct herbs and spices can “feed” agni and strengthen its energy, thus allowing for healthy ingestion of nutrients.

The general signs that you may have a weak digestive fire are experiencing a poor appetite, feeling sleepy after meals, having excessive gas, and feeling heavy or lethargic.

Electuaries

An electuary is simply a mixture of powdered herbs and spices combined with honey to make a thick paste that you can take by the spoonful or add to warm water.

I have made electuaries using fresh plant material such as the zest of a lemon or grated ginger, but for the most part, they are traditionally made using dried powdered herbs and spices for a longer shelf life.

Any of these spices (listed below) are great for digestion and can be used on their own or blended to make your own special combination. It’s a straightforward method and a tasty way to introduce more Fire into your body.

Electuary for Digestive Fire

This recipe makes one small jar and is very flexible.

Ingredients

• [q:1/2] cup of runny honey
• 4 teaspoons ground spices of your choosing:
  • Anise seeds
  • Black pepper
  • Cardamom pods
  • Cayenne
  • Cinnamon
  • Coriander seeds
  • Cumin seeds
  • Dill seeds
  • Fennel seeds
  • Ginger

Equipment

• Small jar that can hold at least one half cup, or 4 fluid ounces

Directions

1. To begin, first decide which spices you would like to use from the list below, choosing one single spice or several spices for your creation. Don’t worry about exact measurements, but aim for roughly 4 teaspoons total. If any of your chosen spices are whole, you will first need to grind them using a mortar and pestle.
2. Once you have your blend of ground spices, place them in your jar and begin adding honey to create a thick paste, mixing and adjusting the honey if you want a thinner or sweeter electuary. Label the jar.
3. To use the electuary, take one small teaspoonful before meals to enkindle your agni.

What is a Headache?

Pain/discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck; tension headaches are the most common type.

What Causes Headaches?

• Stress
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Lack of sleep
• Skipped meals
• Caffeine withdrawal
• Alcohol

Reducing and Relieving Headaches

• Lifestyle Tips

  • Exercise
  • Eat regularly
  • Stay hydrated
  • Get adequate sleep
  • Manage stress

• Foods to Avoid

  • Caffeine
  • Chocolate
  • Alcohol (especially red wine)
  • Aged cheese
  • Products containing:
    • nitrates
    • sulfites

Natural Remedies for Headache

• Herbal Therapies

  • Blue vervain
  • Butterbur
  • Feverfew
  • Ginger
  • Wood Betony

• Supplements

  • Magnesium
  • B vitamins
  • Fish oil

• Homeopathic Treatments

  • Antimonium crudum
  • Apis
  • Belladonna
  • Bryonia
  • Lycopodium
  • Magnesia phos
  • Pulsatilla

Chronic inflammation contributes to conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, cancer, depression, heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

What Causes Inflammation?

Acute Inflammation

While inflammation is a sign of damage, it’s also the body’s natural defense mechanism. When we’re injured, white blood cells rush to the area and release a chemical that stimulates blood flow to begin the healing process. This is why an injury swells and becomes hot to the touch. That’s the positive work of inflammation.

“When you train hard you’re always going to get a certain amount of micro-trauma in the muscles and connective tissues that’s absolutely necessary to bring out the body’s repair mechanisms,” said cardiologist and avid runner Robert Liao, MD. “This type of inflammation is acute, or temporary, and can be remedied with nutrients that help clear our system of free radicals and repair oxidative damage.”

Chronic Inflammation

Chronic inflammation is a different story. It occurs when our adrenal glands elevate our levels of cortisol—a steroidal hormone that’s released when the body is under stress.

“Our bodies are not designed to handle elevated cortisol levels over long periods of time,” said Keri Claiborne Boyle, a former nationally ranked triathlete and certified coach of USA Triathlon. “It suppresses the immune system, decreases bone formation, and makes our bodies work overtime.”

Your Diet Affects Inflammation: Eat Right!

We’ve begun to realize that chronic inflammation can be reduced through diet. “Wheat, sugar, red meat, and dairy are all inflammatories,” explained certified health coach Liz Keller. “When our body is inflamed it can show up as joint pain, digestive issues, asthma, even poor oral health.”

Eating the right nutrients, especially those that specifically target inflammation, can help both acute and chronic cases.

Natural Anti-Inflammatory Foods

• Curcumin

  “Curcumin is a natural antioxidant,” Keller said. “It’s the primary active ingredient in turmeric, which is considered a ‘power spice’ because it promotes healing.” Prominent in Indian foods, this bright orange spice has potent anti-inflammatory effects.

  Dr. Liao said that he began taking turmeric “to reduce soreness after running, and it worked so well, I no longer needed ibuprofen.”

• Omega-3 Fatty Acids

  EPA, DHA, and ALA help ward off inflammation by reducing exercise-induced muscle damage and delayed-onset muscle soreness. EPA and DHA are abundant in coldwater fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel, while ALA is found in walnuts, flaxseeds, and some other plants.

  “Fish oil plays a huge role in my daily supplementation as an athlete,” said coach and marathoner Sabrina Wieser. “A high dose of fish oil capsules (especially after races or harder workouts) helps me decrease inflammation, enhance protein utilization, and reduce recovery times.”

• Ginger

  This tasty herb has been shown to have strong anti-inflammation properties. Add it to foods, savor it in tea, or try it in its many supplement forms.

• Berries

  Blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and others are packed with antioxidants that help clear inflammation-causing free radicals from the body. “All berries are anti-inflammatories, but the darker the berry the more healing power it has,” Keller said. Though they aren’t technically berries, tart cherries and their juice have also been shown to have strong anti-inflammatory effects.

Stress Affects Inflammation: Relax!

While we all have stress in our lives, minimizing it can help reduce chronic inflammation. Icing, massage, soft-tissue work, and stretching are great for sore muscles, but you need to take a whole-body approach to address chronic inflammation. Even making small changes—like breathing deeply to slow your heart rate in high-pressure situations—can help. Make a conscious effort to meditate or practice yoga, or take the time to do relaxing, low-stress activities.

“If you’re worried about vascular inflammation, you can have your hs-CRP [highly sensitive C-reactive protein] levels checked,” Dr. Liao said. “If it’s not abnormally elevated, spending hundreds of dollars on supplements may not be a good use of your money.” But choosing to eat fish a couple of times a week, indulging in Indian food regularly, and taking a yoga class just may be.