Surprising Herbs For The Flu

You know all about echinacea and wouldn’t dream of facing winter without elderberry, but don’t overlook these lesser-known—but potent— botanical cold and flu fighters

- Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa

Colds and flu are caused by viruses. These bugs cannot be killed by chemicals— not by pharmaceutical drugs, and not by herbal compounds. The only way to tame these microbes is to motivate the body’s own immune system.

Herbal regimens to fight infection include three fundamental steps. You must boot out the invader, nourish the tissue (in this case, the respiratory system) that allowed the infection to take root, and support your immune system to prevent a relapse. And herbs that help ease congestion, fever, cough, and other symptoms can help you feel better while your immune system flushes out the root of the problem.

BOOT THE INVADER

If you feel those familiar cold and flu symptoms coming on, hit back hard with potent natural medicines and you can be back in the pink in 24 hours. But you have to give it all you’ve got.

Start with OSHA ROOT (Ligusticum porteri), a North American herb that’s widely regarded as a remedy for respiratory infections. Native to the higher altitudes of the Southwest and Rocky Mountain states, this popular medicine goes by many names, including bear root, mountain ginseng, mountain carrot, and even empress of the dark forest. One of the most widely used herbal medicines among Native American peoples, osha is a member of the parsley family, which also includes carrot and dill, and it shares the same characteristic long, thin, hollow stalk with large divided leaves. Today, herbalists of all schools often recommended osha root for use at the first sign of a respiratory infection.