What cold and flu remedies ? 2020 updated

Hot water with lemon and honey (and a touch of alcohol, just a touch) works for me. For OH I have to leave out the alcohol, much to his disgust.

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Lots of hot drinks, paracetamol for a temperature or headache, steam inhalation and lots of rest (if possible!). If I have a really bad sore throat then maybe Lysopaine throat sweets which really numb the throat well. I don’t usually suffer from colds but have had 3 since October. Very annoying.

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As soon as the first symptoms are felt: get 5mls of RAVINTSARA essential oil and rub it all over, then go to bed. Should wipe out flu.
Mind you I say that and guess what I am flu-struck, swigging tisane & paracetamol and sleeping, the problem is identifying the first symptoms as flu…

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i normally just let them pass me by.

I havent taken anything stronger than a cough sweet for them or a a bit f nasal spray for bunged up nose on the odd occasion (nasal sprays give me nose bleeds if i use more than once a day)

I find now after nearly 30 years of not taking remedies ive built up quite a strong resilience to them and when i get the flue it lasts about a day then the worst is over.

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L52 - available in most pharmacies for before, during and after.

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I take a dose of vit c every day from October to march which seems to work for me! But if I do get a cold, I use my dad’s old remedy…dark rum and blackcurrant , topped up with hot water…!

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My daughter is a doctor, and my French doctor both say drink plenty of water. Flush the system out.

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In 53 years I have never had a flu shot and never had the flu…at the first indication that I may be coming down with a cold I take homeopathic aconite at 30c which is usually enough to stop any further symptoms…x

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This warning is doing the rounds again … 12 month’s later but with some more info about decongestants still available over the counter … perhaps folk are still taking stuff unnecessarily…

"L’Agence nationale de sécurité du médicament (ANSM) a décidé de renforcer l’information des patients et des pharmaciens sur le bon usage et les risques de médicaments vasoconstricteurs, “très largement utilisés” pour décongestionner le nez, et plus précisément sur ceux sous forme de comprimés et à base de pseudoéphédrine, accessibles sans ordonnance. "

In America several years ago I believe they had a run of youngish apparently healthy women dying after decongestant use it turned out that they had undiagnosed hypertension and the meds aggravated the problem I am warned not to use too much decongestant but an use some if needed

Trouble is that some of these remedies are are brilliant when you are desperate for a night’s sleep! My bottle of night nurse has a special place in my cupboard.