Own Correspondent
Until Relenza hits our shelves, symptomatic relief is all that's available. Here are some natural remedies that can help clear the airways and lower the fever.
To clear the sinuses: half-fill a basin with boiling water, add a few drops of Friar's Balsam, a few drops of tea tree oil and a few bluegum leaves. Inhale for a few minutes three times a day.
To clear the chest of phlegm: Liquidise an onion with half a cup of apple cider vinegar; add three tablespoons of honey and sip every few hours.
When aching or chilled, try a hot bath with two tablespoons of Epsom salts, just before going to bed.
Gargling with warm salt water will soothe a scratchy throat by increasing blood flow to the affected area and bathing the inflamed tissue with a healing solution. Avoid milk products, which are thought to aggravate coughing, post-nasal drip and throat irritation.
Drink lots of liquid and, if the fever is high, apply cold compresses, covered with a thick towel, to encourage sweating, which will reduce fever.
Make a solution of five drops of cinnamon oil in one tablespoon of water. Inhale the scent three times a day.
Comfrey has long been a flu-fighting favourite. Make an infusion of one to two tablespoons of dried flowers and leaves in one cup of water. Strain and drink hot at 30-minute intervals until the fever abates.