Colds, Flu & Coughs: A Homeopathic Guide to Getting Through
Colds and flu are part of life. We all get them, and while they can feel inconvenient, they are also a sign that the body is working hard to cleanse and reset. A healthy immune system can usually manage a cold or flu once in a while without too much trouble — but if you find yourself getting sick more than once a year, that often points to something deeper going on inside that deserves attention.
As a practitioner, I find colds and flu among the trickiest conditions to work with because they shift so quickly. One minute it can be body aches and fever, the next it can be a sore throat or deep hacking cough. That’s why having a remedy kit at home is invaluable — it allows you to pivot as the illness develops and meet the symptoms right where they are.
This guide is here to help you get started.
Be Prepared: Why a Remedy Kit Matters
When you already have remedies on hand, you can act quickly at the first signs of illness.
Combination remedies (like Boiron’s ColdCalm, Chestal or Oscillococcinum) are excellent for travel, or when you’re not yet sure which direction symptoms are going.
Single remedies give more precise support and let you adjust as the illness evolves.
The key is not to panic or bounce from remedy to remedy. Instead, choose the one that matches your symptoms best, give it time to act, and observe what shifts.
At the Very Onset
At the very first sign of a cold or flu, my go-to is the Banerji protocol:
Aconite 200c + Bryonia 30c (or 200c)
This pairing covers many early symptoms and can often stop things from taking hold if used promptly. Start every 30–45 minutes for the first few doses, then move to every 1–4 hours as needed.
Alternatively, if these remedies are not on hand, Boiron ColdCalm or Oscillococcinum can be used. These combination remedies are easy to carry and convenient for travel. They provide supportive care at the first signs of cold or flu, helping to reduce discomfort and give your body a boost while you decide on the best remedies for your symptoms.
Symptom Support: Remedies by Category
For all remedies: Start every 30–45 minutes for the first few doses, then adjust to every 1–4 hours, matching the frequency of dosing to the intensity of your symptoms. If you see no improvement after 4–6 doses, it may be time to consider a different remedy. Avoid switching remedies too quickly—sometimes acute situations require several remedies to address evolving or multiple symptoms.
Sore Throat
Hepar Sulph 200c →Splintering, sharp pain.
Belladonna 30c →If pain is red, inflamed, throbbing.
Mercurius Sol 200c →Painful sore throat.
Phytolacca 200c →Swollen tonsils, pain into ear on swallowing, swollen glands.
Banerji throat protocol →
Mercurius Sol 200 + Belladonna 3c
If not effective, switch to Mercurius Cyanatus 200 + Belladonna 3c
💡 Pair any of these with my throat tonic recipe below for extra soothing support
Body Aches & Headache
Eupatorium 200c → the top choice when deep pain and aches that feel like “bones are breaking”
Rhus Tox 200c → if restlessness is strong and you can’t get comfortable, even the bed feels hard. Try this also if Eupatorium fits the picture but doesn’t act.
Bryonia 30c/200c → when every movement makes the pain worse, better by lying still.
Arnica 200c → the body feels bruised.
Gelsemium 30c →headache, dizziness, dullness, trembling. Muscular weakness.
Fever
Belladonna 30c → sudden, high fever with flushed face and throbbing pains.
Ferrum Phos 200c → for moderate fever with weakness, good for the “in-between” stage.
Gelsemium 200c → fever with heaviness, chills, exhaustion, drooping eyelids.
Aconite 200c →sudden onset of fever or illness.
Coughs
Coughs can be dry, wet, spasmodic, or barking — the quality matters when choosing a remedy.
Dry coughs
Bryonia 30 →dry, painful, worse with movement, better lying still.
Rumex 30 → tickling cough, worse from talking or breathing in cold air.
Cuprum Metallicum 6c → violent spasmodic cough, whooping cough.
Hepar Sulph 30c – this is good when a cough doesn’t fit a specific picture eg: it changes from one type of cough to another.
Spongia 30c →Dry, croupy cough. Sounds like a saw cutting wood. Croup. Dryness of mucous membranes.
Pulsatilla 30c → dry cough in the evening and at night, must sit up to get relief. The cough is then loose in the morning.
Wet / chesty coughs
Phosphorus 30c → rattling mucus, worse cold air, talking, laughing. Every cold goes to the chest. Pneumonia, Bronchitis. Cough with blood.
Antimonium tart 30c → rattly chest, mucus won’t come up, heavy feeling. Pneumonia. Bronchitis.
Ipecac 30c → loose cough with gagging or vomiting, suffocative feeling.
Drosera 30c → barking, spasmodic coughs, worse after midnight. Coughing fits in quick succession.
Kali Iodatum 6c →wheezing.
Banerji cough protocols →
Aconite 200c + Bryonia 30c →for painful, productive bronchial coughs.
Ipecac 30c + Cuprum Metallicum 6c →for spasmodic or whooping-type coughs.
Aconite 200 → Spongia 200 → Hepar Sulph 30c or 200c progression for croup in children.
Ears & Sinus
Kali Muriaticum 30c →for stuffy nose, ears, phlegm or Eustachian tubes that feel blocked.
Kali Bichromium 30c + Hydrastis 30c + Pulsatilla 30c →for sinus congestion, blockages, or thick discharges.
Sanguinaria 200c → Post nasal drip during or after illness.
Recovery
Sulphur 30c → exhaustion, fatigue and the feeling of not quite recovering for weeks after illness.
Gelsemium 30c or 200c – dullness, tiredness and fatigue.
My Cold & Flu Throat Tonic
This simple homemade tonic helps soothe the throat, boost circulation, and support recovery:
Juice of 1–3 fresh lemons
Large chunk of fresh ginger, chopped
1–3 spoonfuls of raw honey (Manuka if possible)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (don’t skip — it’s vital for clearing!)
Boiling water
Mix in a large jar and sip warm throughout the day or through the night if your throat is sore and prevents sleep.
Suggested Home Kit for Colds, Flu & Coughs
Here’s a simplified starter list you can keep in your home apothecary:
Aconite – 200c
Bryonia – 30c & 200c
Belladonna – 30c
Hepar Sulph – 30c & 200c
Mercurius Sol – 200c
Mercurius Cyn – 200c
Eupatorium – 200c
Rhus Tox – 200c
Ferrum Phos – 200c
Gelsemium – 30c & 200c
Rumex – 30c
Pulsatilla – 30c
Phosphorus – 30c
Antimonium Tart – 30c
Ipecac – 30c
Drosera – 30c
Cuprum Metallicum – 6c
Spongia – 30c
Kali Iodatum – 6c
Kali Muriaticum – 30c
Kali Bichromium + Hydrastis + Pulsatilla – 30c
Sanguinaria 200c
Sulphur 30c
Boiron ColdCalm
Boiron Chestal
Boiron Oscillococcinum
Final Thoughts
Colds, flu, and coughs don’t have to derail you. With a well-stocked kit and a little know-how, you can meet symptoms at the onset, ease discomfort, and often shorten the course of illness. Remember that getting sick once in a while is normal — it’s part of how the body strengthens itself. But if colds and flu are coming back again and again, that’s your body asking you to look deeper.
Rest, hydrate, and give your system the support it needs. With the right remedies and a mindful approach, you can navigate cold and flu season more confidently.
In Health,
Alana
Alana Keith
Practical Homeopath | Naturopath | Yoga Therapist