Natural remedies for flu, cold, sore throat, etc.

At boarding school in the early 60’s we were given a revolting medicine called sulpherdew (not sure it was spelt like that) it was bright orangey yellow and smelt and tasted like rotten eggs. It would nearly make you vomit. The cure was definitely worse than the cold.

My grandmother sometimes gave me cinder tea. She would put a hot cinder in a cup of water then I'd drink the water. Not sure what it cured - tummy ache maybe? . Arrowroot custard was supposed to 'bind' and stop diarrhoea.

Perfect timing Gransnetters as I have a stinking cold at the moment.☹️☹️

Wilmaknickersfit,
As a child I was prone to tonsillitis, and remember my granny blowing flowers of sulphur down my throat from a spoon. It was disgusting!

I have been taking Sambucol every day this winter ( basically elderberry with added vit c, zinc and other vitamins and minerals). So far so good - but watch this space!

So how do you know what is accurate or inaccurate, W11girl?
Nobody's managed yet to find a cure for the cold or flu - unless you know something the rest of us don't?

Some inaccurate advice being given here so I will stick to night nurse and sleep it off

Grannyguitar, my grandfather [a doctor] used that remedy too, for a cold! Except he would carry on until he saw no hat at all...

My father always swore by the Top Hat cure. Go to bed with a bottle of whisky and a Top Hat. Place the hat at the end of the bed, and drink the whisky until you can see two hats. Well, it worked for him!

I firmly believe that if you treat a cold it lasts for a fortnight, and left untreated it lasts 14 days.

I once heard a doctor on the radio, a very long time ago, he said there was only one cure for a cold: you need a candle and a bottle of whisky, drink the whisky till you see two candles then blow them both out and go to bed!

"Jewish penicillin"? Chicken soup - though I would add loads of onion and tons of ginger too...
Hot honey and Lemon drinks are good too.
Basically, look after yourself and be kind to yourself; none of this struggling "because you are essential"!

Smiled at Marmight's memory of Parishes Food. Thick black revolting stuff which my mother doled out liberally when we were children.

Unfortunately there is no cure in terms of medication, but I do think the natural stuff helps relieves symptoms. Along with a lot of moaning, chocolate, and perhaps a wee dram of whatever you fancy. I swear by Obas Oil for unblocking the old nose.

Sheilasue I think dairy products help produce mucous so what you do is also what I believe.

The onion and brown sugar cure for coughs does work, my Grannie used it too. Daddy and I were convinced it scared the cough away as it tasted absolutely horrible.

Hot lemon honey and paracetamol always works for me, last time I had a bad cold was 2008.

Did anyone as a child have Parishes Food? It was absolutely disgusting. Not sure what it did but one dose was enough to cure you - a 2nd would probably have finished you off

Have the flu injection each year. When I have a cold which is not very often touch wood. I stop putting milk in my tea or coffee for a few days and avoid any milky hot drinks. Such as drinking chocolate. I find after a few days my cold starts to clear up. I do still eat yogurt because that is made in a different process.

"Prevention is better than cure"! My daughter is studying to become a nutritionist dietician. She went on and on about the benefits of kefir and started me on "home made kefir" last year. It boosts your immune system, so they all say! I haven't had a cold or been ill at all since. My blood pressure is down, my skin is glowing, arthritis is not bad at all and I've lost weight. Maybe a fluke? I make it every day (takes 2 minutes) and drink one cup of the stuff ever morning.
I hated it to start with but I love it now. Weird stuff!
I also have home made soup every day. So far so good this year

Fennings Fever Cure! There was a bottle st Home for as long as I could remember but it was never used! We had a small heap of flowers of sulphur ( powdered sulphur) put onto mouth ulcers overnight. You never needed a second dose!

I haven't succumbed to colds and flu this winter (fingers crossed) but I have home made veg soup everyday, plus a small glass of veg juice, including ginger, carrots, celery, spinach etc. first thing. I am hoping that increasing vitamins will keep my immune system happy x

Does anyone believe what I was told that you feed a cold and starve a fever.?In many cases when one is under the weather we don't always feel like eating so just staying indoors keeping warm, lemon and honey for respiratory problems lots of fluids mainly water is the best thing we can do. Keeping yourself hydrated is most important but also to flush out of your system that which has caused you to become unwell.

French cinnamon, eucalyptus and camphor distillations dropped on to honey and ingested. takes the top of your head but magic, forget inhalations, this is far more effective.

Also French suppositories for sore throats, yes I am serious, also uber magic.

Brits need to get over using suppositories, they are far more effective as the gut absorbs it into the system much quicker, and better than orally which can bring its own problems.

By the way - blunt end first, not the pointed end which you would logically think.

Yes I remember the onion and brown sugar remedy. We were told that it was a cheaper Liquafruita!