Cold season is back…

Cold season is back. As we’ve been struck down with the lurgy at BrightonMums.com HQ, we asked Brighton-based family homeopath Zoe Scanlan for some ideas on how to take care of ourselves during cold season.

I love this time of year, although it’s always sad to see the sun go. With shorter days and less light, it is a time for us all to slow down and draw in…if only we could stop ourselves! Perhaps if we followed the seasons and did put the brakes on, we wouldn’t get the colds and flu’s that are so common at this time of year.

Smug as it sounds, prevention is always better than cure, so let’s get prepared with some basics. More rest for a start! Nights are longer and if we were still living in caves, we would naturally retire earlier too… because we need more rest in winter!

As a nation we are chronically deficient in Vitamin D, and as the sun lowers in the sky, the amount we absorbs drops considerably, so I do supplement D3, particularly at this time. It supports the immune system, which can be further boosted by a 10 day course of the herb, Echinacea, alongside Vitamin C and Zinc.

… but if it’s too late and you’ve already started to sniffle, cut out mucus-forming dairy and get started on Elderberry tincture, or syrup for the kids. It is an amazing tonic that literally feels like it cuts through a cold, and it tastes great! It has rescued me on more than one occasion.

Homeopathy can be a great tool for easing the symptoms of colds too. The first one to think of is Aconite 30c, if the cold has come on suddenly and particularly after a chill. If you catch it early enough, Aconite can stop a cold in its tracks.

If your nose is already streaming and your sneezing incessantly, Arsenicum 30c could help. The patient will look red under the nose, feel chilly and be exhausted.

A cold with flu-like symptoms, such as aching, trembling, a heavy, dull head could be helped by Gelsemium 30c.

And lastly for now, my favourite remedy, Pulsatilla 30c. This will help a cold where the nose is blocked with (yellowy) mucus. The patient may be tearful and needing lots of attention and sympathy.

All of this said, most colds will resolve by themselves without any intervention at all, and Homeopaths believe it is beneficial to have a cold and allow it to run its course. It is seen as a great detox for the body. So don’t feel too sorry for yourself, keep reminding yourself through the sneezes, that this is actually doing me good!

Download Zoe’s booklet for further reading on treating colds and coughs.