As the air temperature rises, it may seem like winter is far away, but that doesn’t mean we should neglect to strengthen our immunity and prepare for the cold and flu season. Dr. Ivica Cvetković, a family medicine doctor, and Maja Žalac, a phytoaromatherapist, suggest that while it may not be possible to completely avoid illnesses such as the cold and flu, there are natural remedies that can help speed up recovery if you do fall ill.
Dr. Cvetković explains that cold symptoms typically appear gradually, starting with a sore throat before moving on to a runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing, and a dry and unproductive cough. To alleviate these symptoms, he recommends rest, tea, a light diet, nasal drops for a blocked nose and lozenges with vitamin C or echinacea for a sore throat. On the other hand, flu symptoms come on suddenly and include a fever followed by muscle pain and headache before ending in a dry cough. These symptoms can last for up to ten days and take up to three weeks to fully recover from. Complications of the flu can include bronchitis, ear infections and pneumonia – making it potentially fatal – especially for people with weakened immune systems.
Dr. Cvetković also emphasizes the importance of maintaining a diet rich in antioxidants and minerals such as vitamin A