The Three Remedies You Must Have On Hand in Winter

Make it stand out

Winter illnesses are here. A sneeze on your desk from someone at work; the kids sharing a drink at school; a cough on the playground - it's easy for them to get around quickly.

Your susceptibility to the illness determines whether you will be bedridden or just have a sniffle. You could even show no symptoms at all. Factors such as stress, tiredness, being rundown, menstruation, emotional upsets, chronic illness and even physical injuries contribute to how susceptible we are to an illness.

For kids it could also be an emotional upset, teething or even growing really quickly. Acute Illness could even be the body trying to clear something from your system to make it stronger overall.

There is a time before symptoms start to show where you might be aware something is trying to get at you. You might think 'Oh no, I'm pretty sure I'm coming down with something!'. You might be aware of that sneeze that landed on your desk, or that something is going around at school. Or, you could have gotten caught out by the weather and chilled to your bones.

At the first awareness that you could come down with something, you need to take action. Good food, vitamins, rest are all good ways to boost your immune system. There are also three awesome remedies which help you to ward off illness. I call them my ‘Winter Buddies’.

Aconite

A wonderful remedy for getting chilled. When our body is using all it's energy to keep us warm, it means the immune system is left without resources to fend off illness. Aconite is wonderful for when you first start to feel unwell and you know you've gotten cold, or been out with wet hair or in a cold wind. It is also wonderful for a bad shock. This could be an accident, or even someone yelling at you unexpectedly. If you feel rattled and shaken, this is the Buddy. In that moment where the adrenalin and cortisol floods your body, your immune system is weakened. Shock can turn into illness which is why Aconite is such a great remedy to have within the first 12 hours of any such situation - the sooner the better.

Anas Barb/Oscillococcinum

A marvellous remedy for boosting your defences when you feel like you're coming down with the flu. It's so good that many people take it fortnightly or monthly during winter months to continuously support their immune system. It is also a great remedy to have on hand for when you do have full-blown flu. In Europe this is one of the most popular over-the-counter cold and flu remedies.

Ferrum Phos

This remedy helps a lot with milder illnesses where there are no clear symptoms, but you feel like you're coming down with something. The symptoms are anaemic! If you know your remedies, it stands midway between the Aconites, Belladonnas and Gelsemium. There's lots of weariness. It's also lovely for helping with iron absorption as it is made from iron phosphate.