Top Homeopathy Remedies This Winter for Colds

With fears of COVID-19, you want to make sure there’s little to no coughing or sneezing this winter! That’s a tall order, but homeopathy is a great natural medicine that can be used safely and effectively for the whole family–and kids love the taste! If you’re looking for top homeopathy remedies for colds with winter, know that the remedies themselves are not expensive: a remedy typically costs around $10 and could last the entire winter season. The best part? I’ve seen homeopathic remedies stop a cold or flu in its tracks if you get to it early enough.

Top Homeopathic Remedies this Winter

Homeopathy is a natural system of medicine with relieves symptoms by kick-starting the body’s natural ability to heal. Its guiding principle is that the remedy must be selected individually in order for it to work effectively–there is no blanket approach. Keeping in mind that you need to pay attention to your symptoms and choose the remedy the suits you best, here are my top homeopathy remedies to keep at home for the beginning of that cold, cough, sneeze or fever:

Aconite 30ch: is a top choice if exposure to cold, dry air has resulted in a chill. The symptoms are sudden and intense, whether it’s a dry cough, sudden sore throat or fever, and the person feels the cold intensely, is alert and anxious. If you’re going to use Aconite, choose it in the first 12 hours preferably.

Belladonna 30ch: another great remedy for a sudden and intense begin, Belladonna follows Aconite well if symptoms do not resolve quickly, but it can also be used on its own. Think of it for children who suddenly come down with an illness right after school or at night whether it be a fever, sore throat or earache. Fevers needing Belladonna show a hot, red face, but the hands and feet are cold. There may be a throbbing headache, intense sore throat or earache, usually right sided.

Ferrum phosphoricum 30ch is one I use a lot when the symptoms are not as clear, there is no definite trigger and the onset is slower. It’s a great remedy for a low grade discomfort, when you get that feeling that you’re coming down with something but the symptoms are not clear yet, whether it’s a fever, dry cough or sore throat. The Schuessler cell salt Ferr phos 6x is just as good, but will need repeating much more often (see dosages below).

Natrum muriaticum 30ch is the remedy of choice if the cold begins with sneezing! Homeopathy has a long history of use, and Boericke, a late 19th Century homeopath said it is “infallible for stopping a cold commencing with sneezing” but it is also useful for those colds where the nose runs clear with the consistency of egg white and irritates the nose wings and upper lip. The eyes may also stream tears easily. Nat mur 6x also comes as a Schuessler cell salt.

Nux vomica 30ch: I wouldn’t want to leave this remedy out as it’s the number one remedy for workaholics—and students—who push themselves and their bodies beyond the limit due to too much work and not enough sleep. Consider Nux vomica for a scratchy throat in the morning, feeling irritable, headachy and miserable. The nervous system is irritated so the person needing Nux will feel chilly, sensitive to the least draft, but also oversensitive to light and noise. Despite feeling exhausted, sleep may be erratic.

Does the cold begin with aching and soreness indicating a flu instead? Try Oscillococcinum or choose one of the flu remedies described in my previous blog, Flu Recovery Naturally, like Bryonia for aching or Gelsemium for exhaustion, as these are recommended for the flu instead.

Of course, if you do have cold symptoms, make sure to self isolate and follow the guidelines recommended by your province for COVID-19 testing–or if your symptoms concern you, make sure you get an accurate diagnosis with your doctor. If you’ve missed giving remedies early, then you may need to follow up with more specific remedies for a head cold, cough or whatever ails you–homeopaths are skilled in guiding you through the process of making sure your immune system stays strong through the winter months, especially if you get sick a lot. For best results, find a homeopath skilled in constitutional treatment—chronic recurring problems are too difficult to manage for self help treatment at home.

The Research: evidence homeopathy is safe and effective

For those wanting the evidence, know that homeopathy is based in science and has a number of studies to back it up! In this randomized controlled trial written in the peer reviewed journal, Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice (2017), the authors concluded that a homeopathic medicine given alongside mainstream symptomatic treatment could bring benefit to patients suffering from recurrent tonsillitis. Another study published in the Journal of Pulmonary Pharmacology and Therapeutics in 2014 confirmed that homeopathy was “a valid remedy for the management of acute cough” with patients recovering faster. For more research on homeopathy, see my blog on research.

Dosages for self help:

For self help home use, the 30ch potency is recommended as it is widely available at pharmacies and health food stores. Typically 3-5 pills dissolved on the tongue is considered one dose and the dose is the same for adults and children—intensity of symptoms is more important than the body weight. For intense symptoms, repeat the remedy hourly for 3-4 doses, for medium intensity, repeat every 2-4 hours and for mild symptoms, repeat every 6-8 hours. As symptoms improve, take the remedy less often and if symptoms are 90% better, stop altogether. Homeopathy is a minimalist medicine, meaning take the remedy less rather than more. If there is no change at all after 3-4 doses, switch to the next best medicine.

For Schuessler cell salts, the usual dosage for intense symptoms is 4 pills every 15-30 minutes for 6-8 doses until symptoms improve. Then repeat hourly or every 2-4 hours as symptoms become milder.

If you’re new to homeopathy, take a workshop online! Homeopathy is a great home medicine for the entire family and it’s safe and easy to use once you understand a few simple principles. And if you’d like a few tips for prevention, read my previous blog: Achieve Natural Immunity All Winter for the Whole Family.