As the latest local cold and flu virus is sweeping through my community and attacking me and my two-year-old daughter, I am quickly following my medical home remedies that I usually grab when I have problems. Of course, if I had taken the proper precautions BEFORE the virus came looking for me, it probably wouldn’t have affected me as much, but here I am again with a cough and stuffy nose.

I think we all know the obvious treatments of plenty of rest and fluids to help our bodies gain the strength to fight disease. Perhaps most of us know that chicken soup (or the fats and other mysterious chemicals found in chicken broth) actually help our bodies fight disease. But are there any tried and true medical home remedies that work too?

For those who are sick of being sick and have nothing else that seems to work for them, I really advise against seeking help with the drug Tamiflu. There have been a variety of reports of negative and even life-threatening side effects from the use of this drug, especially problems associated with the brain and nervous system.

Ok so I guess any home remedy could be better than this kind of risk. Let me tell you my favorites. First, I take a “megadose” of vitamin C, as much as my stomach can handle. For me that’s around 3000mg, maybe twice a day. My husband can handle much more. People like DNA genius Linus Pauling did extensive research and recommended that large doses of vitamin C could do miraculous things in jump-starting a person’s immune system. He even went so far as to suggest that cancer could be treated and even cured in many cases with doses of vitamin C.

Next, I take some colloidal silver. I don’t make it myself (bad batches can lead to conditions that turn skin blue), but I buy a brand standardized and tested for purity that I can get at the local health food store. The antiviral and antibacterial properties of colloidal silver have been known for decades. I use it for cuts, sore throats, or anything that needs healing. For a cold or flu it is usually suggested to take a teaspoon (for an adult) 1-2 times a day. Don’t worry, it has no flavor. You can use smaller amounts for children. I have found that silver works especially well with my little girl. Even the worst cold goes away in a couple of days with it when I use silver.

Finally, I use a few drops of hydrogen peroxide, the 3% you buy at the drugstore, in each ear. This is not as strange as it seems. Naturopaths actually suggest this to patients. For some reason, the peroxide in the ear migrates to where the cold virus settles, like the back of the throat, and washes it away. It can be a weird experience and feel cold and even hear some pops and pops, but that’s the peroxide doing its job. It makes me feel better right away and helps shorten the duration of symptoms.

Of course, you can use vitamin C, silver, and peroxide as a preventive measure before symptoms appear during the cold season. Along with these ideas, you can always find that your best medical home remedies are prevention ones. It is suggested for maximum health to eliminate sugar from your diet. Get enough sleep, eat foods like garlic, manage stress, wash your hands regularly, exercise, and boost immunity with things like cod liver oil and probiotics.

I know that many times I get lazy in the area of ​​prevention and pay for it later. I would love to hear from you about your ideas and your own medical home remedies. For now, though, I think I’ll try a little more vitamin C and go to bed early.