Every flu season is different, but most tend to follow the same pattern: they kick off in October, peak in December or January, and endure until May, at the latest.

Whether you’re in the thick of it now or preparing for the flu season ahead, you want to add the best home remedies to your arsenal. Many people require a doctor — and a prescription — to get them through the flu. However, if you want to feel good again even more quickly, a home remedy can further bolster you.

So, bookmark this page or remember these eight ideas, the best home remedies for this flu season and beyond.

1. Honey

Honey’s more than just sweet — it has both antimicrobial and antibacterial properties to soothe your cold symptoms.

Plus, honey can act as an all-natural throat coat. Add it to your tea or swallow a tablespoon before bed to cut down on your flu-caused cough.

There is one caveat with honey. You can give it to your kids who have a cold or flu, but not if they’re under one year old. Honey has botulinum spores, which are safe for kids and adults to eat but can cause botulism in the youngest children.

2. Chicken Soup

There’s a scientific reason why you feel so much better after a bowl of chicken soup.

Whether you prepare it yourself or pour it out of a can, your chicken soup will contain its namesake protein, as well as slow-cooked vegetables. Together, these ingredients stall the movement of a type of white blood cell called neutrophils.

Neutrophils defend your body against infection. You want to stall their movement, so they stick around in the place where they’re needed — so, in your case, you want them to concentrate and heal where the flu has settled in. And a warm bowl of chicken soup can get them to slow down.

On top of that, chicken soup can help soothe an upper respiratory infection, as well. And, if you choose a low-sodium variety of soup, you can keep yourself hydrated mid-flu by slurping up the soup and broth.

3. Ginger

Figuring out how to get rid of a human virus isn’t always easy. For centuries, though, people have used ginger to do the job.

Slice some pieces of raw ginger and place them into a boiling cup of water to create ginger tea. The heat will release ginger’s soothing properties, which you can drink to soothe your cough and sore throat.

Plus, ginger has long been used to fight nausea. If your flu comes with that queasy feeling, a bit of ginger can help settle your stomach.

4. Vitamin C

You’ve probably heard of or even relied on Vitamin C’s power to fight illness in the past.

Your immune system needs Vitamin C to function well. Obviously, if you have the flu, your immune system has already been compromised. But if you eat Vitamin C-rich foods, you can continue to fuel its work to fight off the virus.

So, familiarize yourself with these foods before your next bout with the flu. Everything from sweet yellow peppers to parsley to kale to lemons can give your body the Vitamin C boost it needs.

5. Probiotics

Probiotics come replete with bacteria and yeast, so you might be thinking, why would I want to eat that when I’m sick? Keep in mind, though, that probiotics occur naturally in the body and do good for your system — some refer to them as friendly bacteria.

With a hearty helping of probiotics in your system, you can help your body maintain the immune system and your gut. If you have yet to get the flu, you might want to start eating more probiotics — studies have shown they can help fight upper respiratory infections, too.

You can get probiotics by eating yogurt. You’ll also find them in sourdough bread, pickles, miso and tempeh.

6. Garlic

Who doesn’t love flavoring their food with garlic? As it turns out, doing so can help you fight the flu.

That’s because garlic has allicin within its cloves, a compound with antimicrobial properties. Eating it pre-flu can help you fight off the virus, so you don’t have to deal with it. But mid-virus, it can lessen the severity of your symptoms so you can get a little relief.

7. Saltwater Gargle

Not all home remedies have to be edible ones. Pour a teaspoon of salt into a glass of water and let it dissolve into the liquid. Then, gargle it, so it reaches both your mouth and throat.

This move can loosen up the mucus that clings to your throat when you have the flu. It doesn’t just worsen your cough — it typically contains bacteria, so it’s good to clear it out.

8. Makeshift Steam Room

One thing the flu hates is humidity. The virus thrives in dry environments, so creating more moisture in your home can help push the flu out of your system or keep it at bay.

You can do this by investing in a humidifier, which can moisturize the air in your bedroom or any other space you choose. If you already have the flu, humidity can make breathing easier. And if you’re trying to avoid getting sick, conditioning otherwise dry air can stop the spread of the virus.

On that note, you can get creative with how you get your flu-fighting humidity. Try turning on your shower to its highest heat and sitting on the edge to breathe in the steam it creates. It’s a DIY steam room and the perfect at-home remedy for the flu.

The Best Home Remedies Start With You

These eight ideas are just some of the best home remedies to fight or soothe the flu. Which ones will you try? Do you have go-to tricks of your own? Let us know below — and we can get through flu season together.

June Potter wrote this article on behalf of FreeUp. FreeUp is the fastest-growing freelance marketplace in the US. FreeUp only accepts the top 1% of freelance applicants. to get access to the top freelancers in the world.  

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