12 Tried-and-true natural remedies for warding off colds and flu

Sometimes your best health aids are in your own kitchen.

As the winter months creep up on us, unfortunately so do those coughs and sneezes. While it can be tricky to totally avoid picking up the odd bug, there are some useful remedies that ease the symptoms and help us to get better more quickly.

We often make the mistake of heading to the pharmacy and picking up medicine to try and stifle runny noses or persistent coughs. But, believe it or not, that stream of annoying mucus is normally a way of clearing the virus from our bodies, so stronger medicines can actually prolong a pesky cold or flu.

The good news is that these 12 effective remedies can help alleviate some of the pain and suffering while also giving your immune system an all-important boost. (Remember, always check with your medical practitioner about taking supplements and making changes to your health regime.)

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Read more:
5 Natural (and tasty) ways to stop that annoying cough