Alternative medicine for common cold and flu

Grapefruit Seed Extract

Grapefruit seed extract recently gained immense popularity, with some claiming it's a better anti-viral agent than colloidal silver. It often comes in strong syrup form, which is very caustic and has to be mixed with juice in order to take it internally. There are also other forms, such as capsules, or ear dropper bottles for ear infections. In my personal experience, it has been extremely effective against the flu when taken internally.

Goldenseal

Goldenseal is an anti-bacterial herb that's often used as a tincture (alcohol extract), capsules, or herbal tea. Because it doesn't grow well as a cultivated plant, goldenseal is usually wild-crafted, i.e., obtained from wild woodlands, and at times heavy demand causes a shortage and therefore price increase of this limited herb. Although the herb is very effective against bacteria, some caution against using the herb for a prolonged period (weeks at a time), as it can interfere with the absorption of B vitamins.

I usually opt for the tincture form of goldenseal, although at the outset of colds I brew an herbal tea from one teabag of goldenseal (anti-bacterial) and one teabag of licorice (anti-viral). The licorice sweetens and largely covers the woody goldenseal flavor, and combining the two often defeats a cold or flu for me before many symptoms appear. My colds with a cough or sore throat respond well to goldenseal.

Elderberry Extract Elderberries are a tasty fruit that many enjoy eating. Elderberry extract is a popular anti-viral agent, sometimes combined with zinc in capsules for fighting the flu. I've found that it seems to work well in colds with lung symptoms.

Echinacea

Echinacea is another name for the purple coneflower, a daisy-like flower with drooping purple petals and a dark cone-like center. It works by stimulating the immune system, and is most effective when taken at the outset of a cold. Often it is combined with zinc and sometimes Vitamin C in herbal cold remedy tablets. Although very popular in the 90s, it seems to be less popular today as it is replaced with more effective herbs.

Zinc

Zinc stimulates the immune system, and is often taken in combination with herbal supplements at the outset of a cold or flu. Although zinc is an essential trace mineral, it is an oxidant, and shouldn't be taken in large quantities over an extended period.

Garlic and Onion Garlic and onion are in the same plant family, and both have anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. Garlic is also anti-fungal, and is stronger than onions for fighting microorganisms. I've had quite a few experiences using garlic to fight the flu, both cooked and raw. Usually I prefer to swallow the smaller, capsule-sized cloves (peeled, of course), whole and raw. Sometimes the flu is more powerful than that, and once I found myself cooking the larger cloves in oil and then eating it over pasta. Surprisingly, the cooked garlic completely killed the flu within the hour. This proved to me that garlic can be effective in its cooked form, too.

There are a few warnings that come with garlic. Namely, it's a blood thinner and should be used with caution (i.e. don't overdo it) if already on a blood-thinning drug. Its smell is also a concern -- often when large quantities are taken, a smell is exuded not only from the mouth, but the skin as well. And Hulda Clark cautions against all members of the onion family (garlic, onions, asparagus), because a certain type of parasite seen in cancer cases feeds on them within the intestinal tract. Otherwise, it's a wonderful food-grade herb that can sometimes cure the common cold.