Well, you’re in quite the bind now. With your hormones all over the place, changes in your body as the baby grows, and now.. Now, you’ve got a cold or possibly the flu. Life can be a little unfair sometimes. Happily, there is hope! While there are a lot of things that you can’t take for a cold or flu while you are pregnant, nature has provided a number of options to help relieve your symptoms so that you can push through this like the awesome mother that you are! Let’s talk a little about elderberry and other natural remedies that you can use during your pregnancy so that you can get a little relief and focus on more important things!
I should take elderberry syrup during my pregnancy for colds?
Well, commercial syrup might not be the best during your pregnancy since it is hard to gauge it’s elderberry content, but you can make some of your own in a jiffy by boiling some elderberries with a little honey or sugar and keeping it in a jar in the fridge for when you need it. So why take elderberry while you are pregnant and have the flu? Simply put, elderberries are great for your immune system as well as your respiratory system. So ingesting them in syrup or by other means is a great way to boost your body’s natural defenses without resorting to nasty chemicals. Elderberry syrup is simply great stuff while you are pregnant during flu season.
Is elderberry safe during pregnancy?
Yes, you can definitely take elderberry while you are pregnant. Also, if you don’t want to boil it up yourself and absolutely prefer getting it at the store, just be sure to read the ingredients on the back so that you know that you are getting actual elderberries. As a general rule if it says ‘elderberry FLAVORED’ then it’s likely a synthetic but with a little looking you should be able to get the genuine article.
What if I don’t like elderberries?
No worries if you don’t like elderberries. After all, we promised to deliver information on elderberry and some other natural remedies that you can use. With that in mind, here are some natural alternatives to pharmaceutical cold and flu medications that you can try:
- Ginger root and lemon tea – This Asian home remedy really does the trick. Boil together some slices of ginger root with a tablespoon of honey until your water turns a golden color. You will want to mix it occasionally to dissolve the honey well Add a tablespoon or two of lemon juice to taste and you have a tea that will warm and soothe your throat and take care of that nasty cough. Best of all, you can boil those same slices a second time to make another batch. Just let each bath sit for a good 10 minutes to strengthen the infusion of the ginger. As an alternative, ginger ale is good but you have to make sure that it is made with REAL ginger only.
- Garlic – Garlic is a natural immune booster and can get to that bacteria attacking your throat. Add raw garlic to salads when you can or fry it up with appropriate foods to take advantage of its healing properties.
- Apple cider vinegar – A teaspoon a day of this will do you some good. Apple cider vinegar is not only a great antiviral but it also acts as an expectorant, loosing up phlegm so that your coughing is more productive.
” Coconut oil has antibacterial properties.”
- Coconut oil – Adding a spoonful of coconut oil to your coffee or another complimentary beverage (sweet lemon tea is a great example. It sounds weird, but try it!) can give you some excellent benefits. .Coconut oil has antibacterial properties and is also said to break down the lipid coating that protects viruses, making them more vulnerable when your immune system comes looking for payback!
Other remedies that you can try
Now that we have given you our favorites, here are a few of the ‘runners-up’ which we felt deserved to be mentioned:
- Onions – This remedy is popular in India. Raw onion is good against infection from bacteria and viruses. If the smell doesn’t bother you and you happen to love onions then this is a great way to strengthen your body.
- Mint – Mint is not only delicious, but it has a soothing, cooling feeling that you will really appreciate when you have a sore throat. As an added bonus, it can also calm an upset stomach, so be sure to keep a little handy for when you are feeling under the weather. If you don’t want to purchase mint candy at the store, a simple home solution is a couple of drops of peppermint oil on a sugar cube. Mint tea is better for you, however, as the sugar cubes can be a little addictive and too much sugar isn’t very good for you or baby either!
- Beef broth – Ever grown bacteria in a dish back in your school days? There is a reason that you use beef broth. That throat-eating bacteria that is giving you grief right now loves beef broth. Drink a bit with some garlic powder added for a double whammy. The bacteria will chase it down to your stomach where the acids that are there to digest your food will soon make short work of them. For best results, add 1 bouillon cube, half a teaspoon of garlic powder, and hot water and drink it 3 times a day.
In closing
In this article we’ve discussed taking elderberry and other natural cures during your pregnancy. Use these tips as a natural alternative to pharmaceuticals for a safe and effective way to take advantage of nature’s bounty and get yourself to feeling like you are running at 100% again. Until next time we hope that you will get well soon… naturally.
