Natural remedies for the flu and boosting immunity

I figured it was worth starting a thread here on the Health board... just so we can all figure out how to actually boost our immune systems, kick the flu to the curb, and deal with autoimmune stuff.
It’s honestly vital to know what actually works to strengthen our defenses and get our bodies back on track—everything from what we eat to specific vitamins, minerals, and other supplements.
So, I’m calling on anyone who actually knows their stuff when it comes to "old school" remedies, supplements, or alternative methods to jump in and share.

Here’s my personal list:

To beef up your immunity, I swear by
vitamin C
Propolis
Honey
Bee pollen
Selenium
Echinacea
Vitamin A
Zinc
Elderberries!!!
Garlic
Red onion
Red wine

Laughter, sex, hiking 👍

Megan Peterson87 said:laughter, sex, and hiking 👍

Well, you beat me to it... 😉

Sex 🙂

Let me throw one more into the ring: chocolate (you know, the kind we call baking chocolate here in the States)

In the States, we call it 'black,' just like everywhere else.

I’m telling you, people need to stop overcomplicating things. I was reading about some fancy Chinese green tea earlier, and honestly? It’s just tea. But apparently, everyone acts like it’s some magic potion that’ll fix their entire life. It’s fine, sure. It’s good for you. But let's not pretend we're all going to live forever just because we swapped our morning coffee for a cup of leaves. I'm still trying to get through my day without a massive headache, so maybe I'll give it a shot, but I'm not holding my breath.
Natural grape juice. Just sitting there. Honestly, sometimes I feel like we overcomplicate everything when the simplest stuff is right in front of us. No additives, no weird lab-grown junk—just pure, straight-up grape juice. It’s one of those things that actually makes sense if you stop overthinking it.
I’m honestly sick of seeing everyone act like they’ve cracked the code to perfect health just by eating a few pieces of fish once in a while. It’s always the same thing—everyone preaching about omega-3s like they're some kind of magic pill. Look, I get it. They're good for you. But let's be real for a second. If you actually want to get your levels up without spending a fortune at Whole Foods every single day, you need to know what you're looking for. We aren't talking about those cheap oils that taste like cardboard, either. You want the real stuff. Salmon, mackerel, even those little sardines if you can stomach them. Or go the plant route with chia seeds or walnuts if the smell of seafood makes you gag like I do. It shouldn't be this complicated, but apparently, for some people, it is. Just eat your healthy fats and stop overthinking it.
Asparagus. That’s it. That’s the whole post. Honestly, I don't even know why I'm typing this. Maybe it's just one of those days where everything feels a little pointless, or maybe I'm just staring at a grocery bag wondering why I bothered buying it in the first place. It's fine. Whatever.
You guys aren't gonna believe this—sauerkraut. 😕

What’s the actual connection between autoimmune issues and the flu anyway? 😕

Here’s my two cents...

Take a black radish, hollow it out, and fill it with honey... just let it sit for two weeks. After that, take about two small spoonfuls of that honey every single day...

And 2: WHISKEY!!!
I mean, have you ever actually seen a drunk guy with a cold? They just pass out in the gutters...
So, yeah, maybe just one little shot once a day...

Angela Kelly said:You won't believe this—sauerkraut😕

Why are you even surprised? It’s absolutely loaded with vitamin C.

Even ancient sailors used to stock up on it during long voyages just to keep scurvy at bay.

...cut out anything that weakens the immune system....

-sugar (in any form, including all those additives found in processed junk)
-dairy
-white flour and anything made from it
-out-of-season fruit
-fruit juices
-soda

As for what actually helps build you back up (on top of everything else mentioned):
-miso soup
-fish chowder
-fish in general
-whole grains (rice, barley, buckwheat, or oats—oatmeal is probably the best bet)
-anything green, just lightly steamed
-root vegetables, sliced into sticks and flash-fried in a little high-quality oil
-tempeh and tofu (soy products)
-ginger (dammit, what’s the word for it... how does it just slip my mind when I need it most?!)

Heh, thank god there's an "edit post" button for the senile... GINGER!!! For heaven's sake, it totally wiped itself from my brain.

Think Pink! That's the most important part.🙂

-And just for me: buy more of that Ginkgo! The extra strength stuff, too.😁

slyraven82 said:...cut out everything that weakens the immune system....

-sugar (every single kind, including all those nasty additives hiding in processed stuff)
-dairy
-white flour and anything made from it
-fruit that isn't even in season here in the States
-fruit juices
-soda

As for things to actually boost your body up (on top of everything you guys already mentioned):
-miso soup
-fish chowder
-just plain old fish in general
-whole grains (rice, barley, buckwheat, oats—definitely stick to oats if they're in flake form)
-anything green, just lightly steamed for a minute
-all kinds of root veggies, sliced into sticks and flash-fried in a bit of high-quality oil
-tempeh and tofu (soy products)
-ginger (dammit, what's the word for it in Spanish... ugh, it drives me crazy when the word just slips right out of my head!!!)

hehe, there's an "edit post" button for us old folks... GINGER!!!, holy crap, ginger, how did that just vanish from my brain!

Most importantly, Think Pink! 🙂

-and just for me: go buy more of that Ginkgo! And get the extra strength version 😁

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, give me a break here. If I could actually tell the difference in how my cells feel between glucose from pure sugar versus whole grains, I'd be set for life...😉

driftinggull13 said:Good grief, give me a break! Honestly—if I actually had to figure out the difference my cells feel between glucose from white sugar versus glucose from whole grains, I’d be lost forever. It's just too much math for one brain!😉

😁 Just look at the thread above:

vitamin C...

...

three posts in a row all talking about sauerkraut?????????????? Talk about a weird streak!

I'm putting my money on a Herbalife shake. 🙂

slyraven82 said:GINGER

It’s an incredibly high-quality plant..
I usually toss it into my fresh juices.. though it’s kind of fibrous, so my juicer has a hell of a time grinding it down.

If you want to actually enjoy this stuff, modern blenders that make thick smoothies are the way to go.. seriously. Just throw in some celery, parsley, maybe a banana, apple, lemon, and mango.. mmmm... then just chug it.

I actually have one of those heavy-duty blenders that can crush ice, so sometimes I just throw in frozen fruit.. makes it even better. But honestly, sticking to seasonal fruit is the best move.

Here’s another plant you really need to watch out for if you're living around here—wild fennel:

http://www.yourhealthsite.com/issue/article/697/

driftinggull13 said:Jesus and Mary, are we really doing this? If I actually had to figure out the difference my cells feel between glucose from white sugar versus whole grains, I'd be at my wit's end.😉

😁 heheheh 😁

The history of all this is...
...well, about thirteen years ago, I fell for a macrobiotic guy... and naturally, before I knew it, I was right there with him.😎

Later, when things fell apart, I was left with my precious son as my only investment for the future... and "Healing Through Macrobiotics."🙂

There's a famous saying:

"Let food be thy medicine
and let medicine be thy food."

And believe me, it makes sense. Of everything I learned during those years—and I learned a lot, attending seminars and even teaching myself—the most valuable thing was exactly that: "Healing Through Macrobiotics." It’s also the title of a book that explains the connection between food, disease, and healing in a very straightforward way. It lists specific ingredients and their uses, looking at both nutritional value and the energetic/health impact on the body or potential illness.
It includes a series of recipes too—how to combine things, for what occasion, which meal—without getting lost in heavy philosophy.
So, not macrobiotics as some grand philosophy, but more like a "first aid kit" or a "preventative toolkit."

I'm not on a macrobiotic diet now, but I know what I eat, and I know what I should be eating.
I've also managed to keep my son in great shape, even when he's sick. In his eleven years, he's only been on antibiotics once, and that was when it was absolutely necessary. Otherwise, we've managed everything through food, homeopathy, herbalism, and CONSTANT MEDICAL SUPERVISION, obviously.

When you start down the "alternative" path, whether for treatment or prevention, I think medical supervision becomes even more critical. In fact, it needs to be MORE FREQUENT than usual.

So there it is, my dear friend.😉

Nice one, slyraven82. It’s actually a relief we have someone here who really knows their stuff when it comes to macrobiotics...
I'm hoping you can find some time to post more about how much diet actually matters in our daily lives, and maybe share how you used those macrobiotic principles to kick the flu and other illnesses to the curb.

I’m more than happy to share my experiences. I do it quite often, really—it’s just that I don't tend to bundle everything into one neat little thread. Instead, I post whenever I can, or whenever I find the time.

I simply don't have the bandwidth for endless debates or ego battles. I can explain my reasoning and provide the "what" and the "why" if necessary—that's how I operate—but beyond that? I leave everyone else to their own devices.

You’re absolutely right, it’s more of a philosophy than anything else... you don't really need to go looking for scientific proof there. But honestly, that whole take you had about what foods fight off the flu versus what doesn't? It feels a lot more like wishful thinking than actual science to me. I'm just saying that "for the record"... 😉

BTW, I barely eat any of the stuff you mentioned, and honestly, the last time I even touched an antibiotic was probably twenty years ago... if I can even remember that clearly. As for the flu or a common cold, I haven't been sick in maybe fifteen years. Not once. And I don't mean just a sniffle, either... I haven't been sick at all in over a decade and a half. So, does that mean I should conclude my diet is better at fighting the flu than yours? Or is that how you justify thinking your kid's health is strictly down to what they eat?

Look, my buddy driftinggull13, you’re spot on as usual.

Anyway, if we were looking at why you stay so healthy through some "alternative medicine" lens, I bet the explanation would go something like this:

Basically, you’re just too damn stubborn—too pissed off at the world, really 😁—to actually let a little cold or heaven forbid the flu get a foothold in your system. Honestly? It’s all in your head. If you actually relaxed for a second, you'd probably catch something. And then you'd be forced to start eating nothing but kale and acting like some total health nut. You'd have to forget everything you know about chemistry 😁 and all that nonsense... Seriously though, sometimes I wonder if I'd be healthier if I just knew less. Maybe life would be easier if I just bought into chakras, "vibes," and all that other hippie crap...

Someone brought this up earlier but the OP didn't even address it: For crying out loud, Angela Kelly, what the hell does an autoimmune disease have to do with the flu???

edit: totally forgot about the magical-mystical ability our cells have to tell the difference between glucose molecules based on where they came from 🙂

rustymoose54 said:edit: I completely glossed over the whole "magical" idea that cells somehow possess some mystical, sixth sense to tell whether glucose molecules come from one source or another—as if they have little sensors specifically tuned to origin! 🙂

😲 Good grief, how can you possibly not know that???????????
It’s quite simple—they basically carry little flags in their hands (well, technically, right there on the fifth carbon atom).

Autoimmune diseases and the flu aren't even on the same page... I never once said they were related. I was just starting a conversation about alternative ways to handle the flu and autoimmune issues..

The only thing they actually have in common is— well, just the human immune system
.
* Can we please stop the bickering? Keep the attitude in check and quit the constant nitpicking.