A powerful and natural flu remedy

I thought I knew all there was to know about anti-viral supplements. For years I’ve been using olive leaf extract and oregano oil to great effect. I’ve withstood many a nasty virus outbreak with these trusty supplements and on the few occasions that I’ve succumbed, my illness was mild.

And then Covid hit and the fear was real

Some doctors came up with protocols for both prevention against the virus as well as minimising infection if you got it.

That’s when I discovered quercetin

Quercetin is a plant flavanol that occurs naturally in some fruits like apples, plums and red grapes. It’s also found in elderflower, onions and green tea. It’s a very powerful anti-viral and has been shown to inhibit several strains of flu, hepatitis B & C as well as numerous other viruses. In fact, there have been numerous studies demonstrating the effectiveness of quercetin and a  supplement was even specifically developed for the US military “to keep soldiers healthy during training and deployment”. These anti-viral properties as well as it’s ability to combat inflammation and promote lung health, made it an effective part of the anti-covid tool kit.

Elderflower extract is rich in quercetin

This has long been used as an immune boosting tonic. Quercetin is also available in supplement form and studies have shown that it can help prevent and treat both flu AND the common cold.

I started taking quercetin as a supplement as soon as I heard about it early in the pandemic. I also started drinking a delicious herbal caffeine-free tea called Elderberry and Echinacea tea with Elderflower. This became a family favourite during the lockdowns and we would have a cup every day.

Until the end of 2022,  I took a quercetin supplement every single day. Now I take it when needed. This includes when travelling and going on planes, during flu outbreaks and usually in winter when immunity is a bit lower and there are more viruses about.

For prevention when there isn’t much infection around, I just take 1 or 2. In the depths of winter when there are a lot of viruses about, I take at least 2. If I’m surrounded by sick people at work or get infected myself, I take the maximum dosage.

Here are some the brands that I use:

• Vital Nutrients Quercetin
• Pure Encapsulations Quercitin