cold and flu Archives • Alison Mitchell Naturopath

7 Health Hacks To Help You Survive The Cold & Flu Season

Alison — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 06:22:19 +0000

The Starks have been warning us that winter is coming, and now it is here.

In case you’re not prepared or get caught out between now and the season’s end, I have shared few easy health hacks to help reduce the severity of any colds and flu that you might catch. Head on over to Casa de Karma where you can find my tips.

Here’s a sneak preview…

7 Health Hacks To Help You Survive The Cold & Flu Season

1. Salt Water Gargles

My Mum always made me do this when I started feeling sick and it really did help! The trick is keeping it going, because once I slacked off, the cold would usually flare back up. Saline has an antimicrobial action and the warm water is soothing. Fill a 250mL glass with recently boiled water (it should be a bit more than lukewarm) and stir in 1-2tsp of salt. Take a mouthful, gargle for 10 seconds, spit, repeat until empty. Do this every 1-2 hours

2. Steam Inhalations

Fill a large bowl with just boiled water, hold your head over it and cover your head with a sheet or towel. Slowly breathe in the steam through your nose to help loosen mucous and clear your sinuses. If you feel that it is getting too hot, lift the towel off for a bit or hold your head further away.

Optional: Add 3-4 drops of essential oils into the water such as Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Lavender, Thyme and Pine. Variation – put some drops of essential oil on the floor of your shower and let the hot water from the shower release the oils into the air (make sure the door is closed to prevent the steam from escaping).

Pregnant or Breastfeeding? Make sure you check with your health practitioner before doing this, as some essential oils are best avoided during this time…

Read the rest here: http://casadekarma.com.au/7-health-hacks-cold-flu-winter

The post 7 Health Hacks To Help You Survive The Cold & Flu Season appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Product Review: Cold & Flu Relief spray by Amazonia

Alison — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 00:59:31 +0000

The folks over at Amazonia asked me to trial their Cold & Flu Relief spray, and I was happy to oblige.

You can find the full review here: http://casadekarma.com.au/expert-product-review-amazonia-raw-cold-flu/

Here’s a preview of what I had to say:

Expert Product Review: Amazonia Raw Cold & Flu

Looking at the ingredients, the formula seemed promising (in fact, this was close to a formula I would have made myself)…

‘Andrographis’, also known as the King of Bitters, is a classic herb I use for treating infections as it is not only immune boosting, but also anti-bacterial and anti-viral. ‘Mullein’ is another frequently used herb of mine as it supports lung health and reduces the spasm of an irritated cough, and provides a soothing action to the respiratory system. ‘Thyme’ is another staple of my cold and flu mixes, due to its antiseptic properties and ability to soothe a sore throat.

It’s delivery of a spray is handy as it can bypass some of your taste buds which believe me, is something you want when taking Andrographis. The spray proved a little difficult to get going, requiring a about 20 or so hefty pumps into the sink in order to start the flow…..

Read the rest of the review here: http://casadekarma.com.au/expert-product-review-amazonia-raw-cold-flu/

The post Product Review: Cold & Flu Relief spray by Amazonia appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.