Top 5 Go-To Natural Antiviral Remedies

It’s not just in the winter months that we have to watch out for viruses. Coughs, sniffles, sore throats, and even the flu, can be rife all year long. To help you avoid or greatly reduce the impact of these pesky seasonal bugs here we share with you our simple but highly effective natural remedies you can keep on hand.

1. GARLIC
This yummy ingredient is a fabulous addition to your cooking at any time of the year, but in the winter months, we hugely recommend not to hold back and add a little (or a lot?) extra to your dishes. Garlic provides fantastic support for the immune system through its antibacterial properties and a whole host of vitamins and antioxidants. All of which will help you and your family keep in top tip health and treat the symptoms brought on by troublesome coughs, colds, and the dreaded flu.

2. GINGER
Ginger shots are a firm favorite in our house with the whole family. Ginger is a truly mega immune-boosting food, full of nutrients, antioxidants and vitamins. It has amazing anti-fungal properties and is also anti-inflammatory and a great pain reducer, making it a perfect antidote when a virus strikes.

Top Tip: Make a ginger shot with a squeeze of freshly peeled fresh ginger (the size of your child’s thumb) added to the juice of a couple of apples, and then enjoy down the hatch in one!

3. BAOBAB
This super fruit powder has a lovely sweet tangy taste and is a great hit with children in particular. The powder is gorgeous to add to drinks and smoothies or sprinkled over yogurt and provides a fantastic source of vitamin c, iron, potassium, calcium, and antioxidants. Baobab provides a great health boost when your immune system is under pressure from a viral infection.

4. ELDERBERRIES
Elderberries have been used for centuries to treat symptoms of coughs, colds and generally boost immunity. These super berries provide antimicrobial activity against bacteria making them a safe and strong way to fight the flu virus.

How to make your own Elderberry Syrup
It is super easy to make your own….

• Pick your own elderberries in local hedgerows, conveniently in season in early winter.
• Add one-part berries to three parts water to a pan and bring to the boil then simmer for 30 minutes.
• Strain the mixture through a sieve and add natural raw honey to your preferred taste of sweetness and voila your own Elderberry syrup which will keep in the fridge for up to one month.

5. LIQUORICE TEA
Liquorice tea is delicious and sweet and has huge health benefits. Globally believed to have many soothing and immune boosting properties, it has been longed used medically both in traditional Western, Chinese and Indian medicine.

Drinking Liquorice tea can help neutralise toxins, ease inflammation and pain and thus is frequently used to ease coughs and throat viruses. So, keeping a ready stock of this delicious tea is a smart move to ease any coughs, colds or pain you might have caused by a viral infection over these winter months.

There are some considerations with its use, you must limit the amount you drink daily as its powerful benefits can also lead to unwanted side effects such as high blood pressure, mild swelling, and diarrhea.

So, with these top 5 natural remedies you’ll always be ready to treat any horrid viruses and their unwelcome symptoms, keeping your family healthy and happy through the winter months. Share with us any top remedies you have found great for your family this winter.