Top 12 Traditional Remedies for Treating Flu in Pregnant Women

Garlic has long been known not only as a spice that enhances the flavor of dishes, making them more delicious, but also as a miraculous natural remedy.

Why does garlic have such amazing effects? Because garlic contains many antibiotic compounds like allicin, which helps fight against disease-causing viruses. Garlic oil is rich in glucogen and aliin, phytoncides that have antibacterial, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, garlic contains a high content of vitamins A, B, C, D, PP, hydrocarbons, polysaccharides, inulin, phytosterols, and essential minerals such as iodine, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and trace elements. This spice also helps reduce cholesterol levels in the blood, is rich in antioxidants that help restore cell activity in the body, enhance immunity, and help the body fight off many diseases, including dangerous cancers. As a familiar spice, almost indispensable in every family's kitchen, but few people know that it is also very effective in treating flu.

How to use:

• Crush garlic and smell it several times or mix it directly into a glass of water to quickly recover from the flu.
• Or the best way to treat the flu is still to eat raw garlic (if you are not used to eating raw garlic, you can eat garlic soaked in vinegar.
• Another method is to extract garlic juice, dilute it with clean water in a ratio of 1:10. Add a little salt. Use this water to drip into the nose 2 to 3 times/day.

Apart from using basil and balm leaves to make drinking water, expectant mothers can also facial steam with herbal leaves to quickly recover from flu and feel more comfortable. Facial steam is one of the folk remedies used to treat common colds. This treatment method relies on regulating body temperature through the sweating process, thereby promoting quick recovery. So what are the herbal leaves mentioned here? Typically, they are aromatic leaves containing essential oils. The essential oils in these herbal types pass through the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, ears, skin, etc., helping to clear the nasal passages, ears, and sinuses, thereby reducing pain, inflammation, relieving headaches, dizziness, difficulty breathing, etc. After steaming, the patient will feel lighter, breathe easier.

How to do it:

• You just need to use some types of leaves such as: grapefruit leaves, basil, peppermint, cinnamon basil, coriander, cilantro, ginger, lime… (about 50 grams - 100 grams each), wash them clean, put them in a large pot filled with water, cover tightly and boil for about 5 minutes. Then, you open the lid to let the steam escape, bring your face close to it, and breathe evenly and deeply.
• You should sit for about 5 - 10 minutes for the sweat on your face to come out, then use a towel to dry your face. After steaming, women can drink a glass of lemon water with a little salt for good health.

However, please note not to overdo steam inhalation. And when steaming, only steam your face for a short time. You should consult your doctor to monitor your pregnancy before doing so!

Pregnancy is a challenging period for both mother and baby. You will need to make efforts to ensure the best physical and intellectual development for the baby, so you often worry if you unfortunately get sick. Whether taking antibiotics... affects the baby is a question you often concern about. Instead of using medicine, you can use folk remedies from natural plants. Basil and balm leaves are an example because they are commonly found in daily meals but are two very effective remedies for colds and flu. According to Oriental medicine, basil and balm leaves have a spicy taste, warm nature, and have the effect of inducing sweat, treating colds, allergies…

How to do it:

• When having a cold, pregnant women can use them to cure the disease safely by using basil and balm leaves (each one handful),
• Add 2 bowls of water to brew until there is 1 bowl left, wait until warm then drink. This method will quickly help pregnant women get rid of the discomfort caused by the flu.

In addition to relieving colds, it also provides nutrition for the fetus. Pregnant women can cook porridge to eat and remember not to forget basil. This simple method is actually very effective. A bowl of hot onion and balm porridge will quickly help the body recover from the flu, especially for pregnant women.

Balsam Pear, Mugwort, Chrysanthemum, and Fresh Ginger are familiar spices that are not unfamiliar to many people. However, not everyone knows that they can be combined to create a very effective remedy for relieving colds and inducing sweating.

How to do it:

• You just need to use balsam pear, mugwort, chrysanthemum, and fresh ginger in a ratio of 4:2:2:1,
• Finely chop, put in a pot with 400ml of water, simmer until there is about 100ml left.
• Then, you take that water to drink when it is still hot twice a day. After drinking, cover yourself with a blanket to sweat, then use a dry towel to wipe yourself, you will feel much more comfortable.

During pregnancy, flu symptoms often appear, causing fatigue, headaches, coughing... usually caused by viruses. For effective treatment, ginger is a plant that helps fight viruses effectively. In the daily kitchen, a very important plant that cannot be missed, a lifesaver for pregnant women is ginger.

Ginger can both cure morning sickness for pregnant women and also treat the flu. According to folklore, ginger has a warm nature, antibacterial properties that help limit the spread of flu viruses, helping you sweat and eliminate toxins from the body.

How to make:

• Simply slice 4-5 thin slices of ginger and put them in a pot of boiling water for 5-10 minutes, then pour into a cup, add a little white sugar, stir well, and drink hot 3 times a day to help 'chase away' the flu.
• Or, even simpler, you can slice thinly, and chew fresh ginger three times a day continuously for 3-4 days.

In addition, to keep pregnant women healthy and boost immunity, it is necessary to increase consumption of fruits rich in Vitamin C, especially grapefruit. Do not use or buy flu or cough medicines without the guidance of a doctor.

Peppermint is known as a herbal remedy in many prescriptions for treating various illnesses. Not only that, it is also a flavor in many types of candies and cakes. Peppermint has a mild, cool, fragrant taste and is one of the most effective remedies for flu. If the flu comes with fever (chills), headaches, runny nose, we can prepare a flu remedy as follows:

How to make:

• You need to prepare all the ingredients according to the following formula: 5g dried peppermint; 10g dried chamomile flowers; 5g dried oregano; 15g dried ginseng root
• Infuse and divide into 2 doses to drink throughout the day.
• Use before meals for the best effect and drink continuously for 3 consecutive days.

In other cases, you can use the dosage: 20g dried peppermint; 10g garlic; 5g dried fennel seeds

• Put the above ingredients into a pot with 3 bowls of water. Infuse until there is 1 bowl of water left.
• Take one part to drink, and the remaining part is used for nasal inhalation or steam inhalation.
• Once a day and continue for 2 consecutive days. Your health will return to normal.

However, peppermint should not be used for people with high blood pressure and infants.

In addition to the folk remedies above, when experiencing mild flu, pregnant women can also have hot egg porridge with green onions and basil leaves, which is also an excellent way to treat the flu. If you can enjoy a bowl of fragrant hot porridge with the aroma of onions and basil leaves, your body will sweat, making pregnant women feel much lighter and more comfortable.

It can be said that hot egg porridge is not only nutritious but also one of the safest ways to treat the flu for both mother and baby. So, when you have flu symptoms, ask a family member or cook yourself a pot of hot egg porridge and eat it while it's hot!

How to make:

• Wash and finely chop the basil leaves and green onions.
• Rinse the rice thoroughly and cook it until it becomes porridge.
• When the porridge is cooked, crack fresh eggs into it, stir well until the eggs are cooked, and season with suitable spices.
• Turn off the heat, ladle the porridge into a bowl, sprinkle with green onions, basil leaves, and a little black pepper, and eat immediately while the porridge is still hot.

Purslane is known as a very familiar wild plant, especially in rural areas. It is also known by another special name, golden grass, because it has countless valuable effects more precious than gold.

Purslane can be used fresh or dried. It has a sweet, slightly bitter taste, cool properties, blood tonic, diuretic, detoxifying, liver cooling effects. It is used in cases of damage, abdominal fullness, urinary retention, low immunity, fever, malaria, liver heat, high blood pressure. Additionally, it has a miraculous effect in treating flu for patients.

How to make:

• To make the medicine with purslane, you need to prepare the following ingredients: Dried purslane; Licorice; Frankincense
• Prepare the ingredients and brew them into medicine, and just by drinking it once, simple flu will be cured.
• If you have fever or headache, drink 2 to 3 times to completely recover.

Onions are an effective remedy for flu, headaches, and runny nose. People slice them finely and add them to hot porridge for the patient to consume. Similar to basil, after eating onion porridge, the patient will sweat and recover quickly. For those experiencing symptoms of fever and headache, apart from consuming onion porridge, they also use a medicinal decoction made with onions.

How to make:

• You need to prepare the following ingredients: Onion bulbs; Fresh basil; Dried luffa; Basil leaves
• Brew the medicinal decoction and drink it hot twice a day. Use it for about 2 days, and your illness will completely disappear.

Honey is often praised as a remedy for all ailments, from burns to cuts and scrapes, because honey has natural antiseptic properties, similar to hydrogen peroxide. Additionally, honey helps prevent the growth of viruses, bacteria, and fungi.

How to make:

There are many ways to treat flu with honey. As it's a miraculous substance, it boosts immunity. You can consider some of the following methods:

• Mix 2 teaspoons of honey in a cup of warm water and drink it in the morning after waking up to enhance your body's immune system, effectively preventing flu.
• For better effectiveness, you can add a little lemon to the mixture, this drink can also help detoxify your body and lose weight effectively.

Honey is also excellent for the lungs, for people suffering from sore throats, hoarseness, productive coughs,... If you have these symptoms, drinking a cup of warm honey or eating honey-soaked lemons will quickly alleviate the illness.

Note that children under one year old and patients using medication should not consume honey. For pregnant women, use it in moderate amounts to avoid overheating.

Licorice Root is a Chinese herbal medicine derived from the licorice plant, known for its ability to prevent diabetes complications, treat sore throat, cough, soothe heat, promote urination, and many other benefits. It has long been regarded as a valuable herb in traditional medicine, with a wide range of therapeutic effects and health improvements.

How to make:

• Prepare the following ingredients: Mint leaves, Mugwort, Bamboo leaves, Gold coin, Licorice Root
• Infuse them and drink it cold. With this method, you should use it for about 2 to 3 days to completely treat the illness.

Curcumin in golden turmeric is not only an anti-inflammatory agent but also has strong antiviral properties to treat and prevent flu. Research shows that curcumin can reduce the growth of various flu virus strains by over 90% and is very effective in protecting other cells from infection. Therefore, unlike cough syrups and other medications, curcumin not only treats flu symptoms but also boosts the body's immune system against flu signs. Curcumin is abundant in turmeric starch.

How to make:

• You need to prepare: 1 cup warm milk; Half teaspoon turmeric powder; ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
• Mix turmeric and black pepper powder into warm milk and drink.
• Alternatively, you can mix turmeric powder with honey, which not only serves as a remedy but also as a tonic, beneficial for health (pluck a turmeric branch from the garden, crush it finely, and mix it with honey). In India: Turmeric is also used as a digestive stimulant, blood purifier, fever reducer, and cold remedy (fresh turmeric water + hot boiled milk).