Humankind can walk on the moon, so you'd think that we could prevent colds from striking us down. Yet far too many of us suffer during the winter from symptoms like clogged and runny noses, sore throats and/or dry coughs. Then there are unfriendly flu viruses that often cause a high fever, chills, exhaustion and body aches.

Unfortunately, it's a challenge to ward off these unfriendly bugs when our immune systems are compromised. By
strengthening and supporting the body from within, we have more of a fighting chance against them.

Good nutrition is essential for immunity. Start by eating lots of raw, certified organic fruits, vegetables and vegetable juices. Be generous with parsley, celery,
watercress, garlic and fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kefir and yogurt. Unrefined flaxseed and hemp oils are excellent sources of the omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids that the body requires for optimal function.

Most people, particularly the elderly, don't drink enough water. To prevent dehydration, which compromises immune function, drink eight to 10 glasses of preferably filtered, chlorine-free water daily.

Herbal teas are another option. Try antioxidant- rich yerba mate, rooibos and Japanese green teas. Avoid soft drinks and junk foods containing artificial sweeteners. Instead look for products with stevia, tagtose and xylitol, which are plant-derived sweeteners.

Pumpkin seeds are a good source of zinc, which is immune-enhancing and anti- inflammatory. Additional dietary sources of zinc include whole grains, brewer's yeast, wheat bran and germ, oysters and meat. Keep some zinc lozenges in the cupboard in case you feel a scratchy throat coming on.

Effective herbal tinctures for enhancing immunity include cat's claw, echinacea, pau d'arco, grapeseed extract and
grapefruit seed extract. Other cold and flu busters include cayenne pepper (capsicum) and wild-crafted Mediterranean oregano oil.

Sometimes, despite our best preventive efforts, we find ourselves caught by a nasty cold or flu. When this happens,
the body needs energy to detoxify and recuperate, so get plenty of bed rest and keep warm. A hot and cold footbath before bed, with Himalayan Alexander crystal salt, Celtic or Epsom salt added, can do wonders.Drinking hot water with lemon, cayenne and maple syrup can also speed up
recovery time. Hot apple cider and ginger teas are also effective.

Feeling congested? Breathe easier with the herbal technique of inhalation. Fill a bowl with hot water and add a few drops of eucalyptus, chamomile and thyme essential oils. Put a towel over your head and the bowl and inhale the purifying steam. This helps loosen mucus and heal the throat, nasal passages and bronchial tubes.

Horsetail inhalations reduce swelling of the mucous membranes. Onion or nasturtium inhalations disinfect, while ginkgo biloba leaves kill bacteria and heal the cells of damaged mucous membranes.

In the acute stage of sickness, inhale the steam for 15 minutes three times daily. Once you're on the mend, repeat this procedure once a day before bed for a week or so.

As a child in Germany, my family picked elderberries from our backyard bushes. Whenever I had a fever, my mother made up a juice, added lemon juice and honey, and I had to drink two big cups before going to bed. She also put a wet poultice around my neck and sometimes even on my chest and legs and I sweated the fever out overnight. The next morning, the fever was usually gone and I never missed a day of school.

My wife and I used elderberry with our two boys while they were growing up. Today, we still have an elderberry bush in
our garden and we use elderberry juice and elderflower tea for immune enhancement. Rarely do we have a cold or flu.

Compounds in elderberries bind with viruses before they can penetrate the walls of cells, thereby inhibiting their ability to spread. Hot tea from the flowers and juice from the berries promote sweating and are also considered to be anti-rheumatic, laxative and detoxifying. In ancient times, elderberry bushes and trees were believed to have special mystical properties. It was considered good luck to plant a tree or bush near your house to protect against disease and evil spirits.

In 1980, Madeleine Mumcuoglu, PhD, began to study the antiviral effect of the elderberry. She patented a procedure
to isolate its potent disease-fighting compounds then tested the extract (Sambucol) on patients during a flu outbreak in Israel. Within 24 hours, 20 percent of the flu sufferers showed significant relief from fever, sore throat, inflammation, coughing and other symptoms. Another 73 percent felt better the second day and by day three, 90 percent reported feeling completely cured. In the placebo group that received inactive treatment, only 16 percent improved by the second day. Most of them took six days to feel well again.

Elderberry and the other remedies above have been part of my health regime for as long as I can remember. You, too, can avoid the dread of the cold and flu season. Just take steps to support your body's healing abilities with Mother Earth's help.

[Klaus Ferlow, lifelong herbalist, innovator, lecturer, researcher and writer, is the founder and co-owner of Ferlow Botanicals, a Canadian- owned and family operated manufacturer and distributor of toxin-free medicinal herbal and personal care products. www.ferlowbotanicals.com]

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