With more than 35 years of nutritional consulting experience, Josh is the owner of the Vitamin Center of Agoura Hills in California, and has published several health and nutrition articles. “Here’s To Your Health” airs every Tuesday at 12 p.m. PST on LA Talk Live! Not from the LA area? Click here to watch “Here’s To Your Health” on the web.

According to Dr. Levy, the stomach flu is “very, very common,” and several of its symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps, are different than normal flu-like symptoms. If you do catch the stomach flu, Dr. Levy suggests avoiding sugars and unsweetened foods, taking turmeric or ginger to help with the nausea, and eating small quantities of banana, apple, potato and bread. There are also some homeopathic medicines, such as Arsenicum album and Nux vomica, which may help relieve some of your symptoms. And most importantly, says Dr. Levy, “stay home and stay hydrated. Respect your body.”

Boiron pharmacist Dr. Christophe Merville also recommends Arsenicum album 30C for relieving diarrhea, chills, abdominal cramps and nausea as well as other homeopathic medicines: Eupatorium 6C for fever and muscle & body aches; Podophyllum 30C for painful diarrhea in the morning; Colocynthis 6C for cramps improved by bending over; and Ipecac 6C for nausea & vomiting with hypersalivation and painful heaving.

To help you find a retailer nearest you that carries Boiron single medicines, please visit our store locator.

As we head further into the winter months, it’s becoming apparent that cold season is again upon us. You may want to try some natural remedies in addition to taking a homeopathic medicine. These remedies can be made in the convenience of your own home and will treat your cold and flu symptoms quickly, without unwanted side effects from medications. These tried and true remedies include simple and natural ingredients, such as honey and chicken broth.

Honey

Whether your throat is sore from postnasal drip or you have a dry, itchy or scratchy feeling in your throat or a dry cough that interrupts your sleep, honey can be your best friend. When I suffered from my most recent cold, I drank six to eight cups of hot decaffeinated tea with honey and lemon juice, and my sore throat felt better within two days.

To soothe your throat, swallow a teaspoon of honey (on its own) up to three times daily. Make sure not to eat or drink anything for 30 minutes after taking the honey so that it has time to work on the inflammation causing your symptoms. If the taste of honey does not suit you, use honey to sweeten decaffeinated hot tea. It is also best to use locally produced honey, as it contains pollens and proteins that may provide the best effects to treat your cold. However, as the Mayo Clinic points out, do not give honey to babies under one year of age, as it could cause infant botulism.

Chicken Soup

Chicken soup is the holy grail of cold and flu remedies. The broth reduces inflammation in your throat, helping reduce your sore throat and cough. According to the Mayo Clinic, the fluid also helps thin your mucus, reducing your congestion and sneezing. Likewise, the chicken, vegetables and grains in the soup provide much needed nutrients for your body’s immune system to fight off the virus. I prepare a big kettle of soup each time someone in my house develops the first signs of a cold, since this home remedy makes our colds go away more quickly.

Zinc

Taking zinc lozenges at the first sign of a cold can decrease the severity and duration of sneezing and congestion. My husband swears by these lozenges, which he takes at the first sign of each cold so he can get through the workday ahead. However, be warned that the lozenges can leave an unpleasant taste in your mouth.

Saltwater

According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, gargling with saltwater two to three times daily reduces inflammation and scratchiness in your throat from colds and the flu. To try it yourself, mix ½ teaspoon salt with eight ounces of warm water and gargle.

Just because you have a cold or the flu does not mean you have to be miserable. These remedies will help get you on the mend faster rather than just letting the virus take its course. The next time a cold strikes, try one or more of these remedies, and you may feel better in no time.

About Lindsey: Lindsey is fascinated with the potential of emerging educational technologies, particularly online classes, to transform the landscape of learning. She regularly writes about web-based learning, electronic and mobile learning, and the possible future of education.

“I’ve heard a lot of people say that [Oscillo] is an amazing, amazing product,” says a news team member. “It really cuts down on the symptoms.” Dr. Morelli agrees—and so do we. Oscillo reduces the duration and severity of flu-like symptoms when taken at the first sign of illness.

Available in the cough, cold and flu section at your local Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid or Target, and in independent pharmacies and natural product stores nationwide, Oscillo helps relieve flu-like symptoms such as body aches, headache, fever, chills and fatigue. Safe for everyone ages two and up, Oscillo is non-drowsy and has no side effects or drug interactions. For more information on Oscillo, visit www.Oscillo.com, or check us out on Facebook or Twitter.

With more than 35 years of nutritional consulting experience, Josh is the owner of the Vitamin Center of Agoura Hills in California, and has published several health and nutrition articles. “Here’s To Your Health” airs every Tuesday at 12 p.m. PST on LA Talk Live! Not from the LA area? Click here to watch “Here’s To Your Health” on the web.

Travel can facilitate the spread of the flu virus through shared surfaces and air.

Flu illness levels increase during the winter because people spend more time indoors, sharing more space with others, touching more surfaces and breathing more “shared” air. Traveling amplifies this situation. The high occupant density and the proximity of passengers in cars, buses, stations, airplanes, airports and cruise ships increases the chance of coming into contact with someone with flu. Reduce your chances by avoiding contact with shared items. Don’t put your face directly on airline-supplied pillows or blankets that haven’t been sanitized.

Travel can enhance the spread of the flu virus geographically.

Your out-of-town guests may bring you an unwanted present to be shared later by your family and co-workers. And holiday travel often connects children—who tend to dislike hand-washing—with especially susceptible young cousins and older grandparents. So next time you visit family and friends, swap presents not germs.

Travel tends to cause dehydration.

Airline travel increases susceptibility to illnesses due to the cabin’s dry air, accommodating the growth of viruses that thrive on low humidity. It’s important to keep your mucous membranes moist. When they’re dry, they can’t keep germs at bay. A general rule is to drink at least four to eight ounces of water for every hour in the air. Spritzing your face with water helps keep your skin moist. And travel with Oscillococcinum to treat flu-like symptoms. Oscillo’s sweet-tasting pellets dissolve under the tongue without water, making it ideal for travelers on the go.

Travel may bring about anxiety and stress.

There’s no doubt that travel can be stressful. Research has shown that stress can increase your susceptibility to the flu virus, and can even increase the severity of flu-like symptoms. Try to reduce stress associated with travel. Be flexible, be prepared and build extra time into your schedule for a more relaxing trip.

Travel may disrupt exercise.

Time limitations or lack of equipment on trips can cause faithful exercisers to take vacations from workouts. Even non-exercisers may be affected by prolonged sitting in tight quarters. Make an effort to continue exercising on trips. In a study reported in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, scientists found that exercise may prevent the elderly from getting colds and flu.

About Dr. Gilbert: General practitioner Dr. Chris Gilbert has been using homeopathic medicines for years, both personally and professionally. Dr. Gilbert practices general medicine, homeopathy and acupuncture in the Los Angeles area. Her books, Dr. Chris’s A, B, C’s of Health: When Your Body Screams, Listen to It! and The French Stethoscope, are currently available at www.amazon.com.

“Essentials of Healthy Living” airs every Sunday from 10-11 a.m. on 1500 AM, Federal News Radio (WFED).  Not from the D.C. area? Listen to EHL live on the web. Missed the interview? Check EHL’s archives to listen to the show.

EHL is brought to you by Village Green Apothecary in Bethesda, Maryland. An integrative pharmacy, Village Green offers vitamins, nutritional supplements, kosher vitamins and healthy living products at discount prices, as well as prescription drugs and custom compounding. The store’s 45 specialists (pharmacists, nutritionists and herbalists) work with its customers to create personalized health plans. Visit Village Green Apothecary at www.myvillagegreen.com.

When should you wash your hands?

- Before, during and after preparing food

- Before eating food

- Before and after caring for someone who is sick

- Before and after treating a cut or wound

- After using the toilet

- After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet

- After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing

- After touching an animal, animal feed or animal waste

- After touching garbage

What is the right way to wash your hands?

- Wet your hands with clean running water (warm or cold) and apply soap.

- Rub your hands together to make a lather and scrub them well; scrub the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.

- Continue rubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds. (Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.)

- Rinse your hands well under running water.

- Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry.

Washing hands with soap and water is the best way to reduce the number of germs on them. If soap and water  are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in some situations, but sanitizers do not eliminate all types of germs.

Regular handwashing, and covering your mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or coughing or sneezing into the crook of your elbow are simple measures to slow the spread of germs, and therefore, the flu. But if you still get sick, look for Boiron’s cough, cold and flu products for children and adults – Oscillococcinum for flu-like symptoms, Chestal cough syrup, and Coldcalm for cold symptoms—sold at most drug stores and local health food stores. For more information, visit Oscillo.com or check us out on Facebook or Twitter.