I often talk about holistic nutrition & the health benefits of leading a low-tox lifestyle. However, since my family & I leaned into homeopathic and alternative medicine, I’ve been getting a ton of questions about supplements we use to maintain our health naturally and holistically. Today, I’m sharing an updated list of must have immune supporting supplements that have multiple holistic uses and some major health benefits.

Colloidal Silver

Natural antibiotic + antiseptic+ antimicrobial + antiviral. Unlike modern antibiotics, colloidal silver does not cause resistance or immunity in the organisms that are killed by it. In other words, you can take it as needed for ailments and you won’t build up a resistance to it.

It is effective at relieving the following:

• allergies
• pneumonia
• cold
• flu
• sinusitis
• bronchitis
• stomach virus
• food poisoning
• pink eye
• psoriasis + eczema (when applied topically in gel form)

This immune supporting supplement can relieve a sore throat in 45 minutes to 24 hours. As far as cold/flu symptoms: We’ve used it on its own & in conjunction with elderberry + the vitamin C protocol.

The results were astounding. Each of us recovered within 24-48 hours. During that time there was no lethargy, aches, pains, nasal or chest congestion. Just minor sneezes + our kids had slight runny noses.

Our oldest son’s asthma is always triggered by a cold. We usually have to start him on a steroid treatment with albuterol and nebulize him for 3+ days. Since using the colloidal silver we haven’t touched any of the above. I recently learned colloidal silver can be used through the nebulizer in place of a steroid treatment for asthma, pneumonia and bronchitis. I haven’t tried it yet so I’ll keep you guys posted if we ever need to do so (hopefully we won’t).

Either way, translates to way less school days missed and possible hospitalizations which can become costly + increase risk for further illness. Another thing to note: There is a kids version safe for children 4 years and up (shown above). It’s not recommended to administer colloidal silver to toddlers or infants directly.

Elderberry Syrup

Extracted from ripe elderberries:

Antioxidant + antiviral + anti inflammatory + promotes healing. Naturally high in Vitamins C, A, B6, iron, potassium and other essential nutrients. This has been a godsend in our home for various reasons. Elderberries are high in flavonoid rich compounds that provide antioxidant and immune support.

Flowers from the elder plant can dry and tone mucous membranes lining the nose and throat, reducing sneezing, itchiness and runny nose.

When taken within 48 hours of the 1st onset of symptoms, the duration of flu can be shortened by as much as 4 days. Cold symptoms within 24-48 hours.

We also use elderberry syrup daily for respiratory ailments, cold, flu, sinus infections, seasonal allergies and immune health maintenance. It can also be used as a natural diuretic and laxative.

Elderberry has been found to reduce hypertension, improve cardiovascular health and lower blood sugar. Research is starting to show that it may also help fight cancer. Elderberry can be consumed as a tea, juice, jam, pill, spray, lozenge, astringent or ointment. Our family loves the Gaia Herbs brand but there are also a ton of DIY recipes on Pinterest & the internet. I’ll be sharing my recipe soon.

Vitamin C

Anti inflammatory + antioxidant + antihistamine + immune supporting.

This supplement is a must have for every single household. When one of us is getting sick or falls ill we follow the Suzanne Humphries, MD vitamin C protocol.

You will find very informative videos, studies, and tips regarding the protocol and vitamin C’s benefits at the link above.

We feel the effects within an hour of consuming Vitamin C and have been back on our feet within 3 days maximum.

Here is a quick dosage chart for kids that we’ve found very helpful.

We each take a dose of vitamin C daily for health maintenance, immune support and allergies. We’ve all tried adding it to water but it has a weird tart aftertaste. Adding it to tea, fresh juices and smoothies is a much tastier option in my opinion but it really depends on your preference.

Astragalus + Echinacea

Astragalus: antiviral + anti inflammatory + powerful antioxidant + immune support.

Astragalus is a safe remedy & often used in cases of chronic infection. It’s best taken as a regimen before illness begins. Studies have shown taking astragalus before winter hits drastically reduce the number of colds and upper respiratory illnesses. Astragalus is also considered an adaptogen, strengthening the body’s ability to cope with the aspects of physical stress. It pairs well with Echinacea and even better with Elderberry.

Echinacea: antibacterial + antiviral + blood cleanser + immune supporting + wound healer.

Echinacea stimulates the body’s ability to resist infection & counter toxicity. It can reduce many of the symptoms of colds, flu, infections, and conditions.

This immune supporting combo was the first supplement we all tried last year. I was pregnant with my daughter at the time & my OBGYN highly recommended it for my family since I’d be giving birth in the height of cold + flu & RSV season. A few weeks later, our youngest child at the time had a fever and bark-like cough the night before his 2nd birthday party. We gave him this Astragalus and Echinacea supplement in addition to Manuka honey throughout the night. We decided to take him to the pediatrician the next morning just as a precaution. She was said it was most likely the beginning stages of Croup which is highly contagious. She instructed us to keep him hydrated, run a humidifier but let it run its course. She then prescribed a steroid just to keep on hand if it progressed badly over the weekend.

Well, less than 24 hours after the first onset of symptoms our little guy was just fine! We never even opened the steroid because he progressively got better. We just kept administering the supplement, Manuka honey, plenty of water, fresh fruit and rest. This supplement was the one that motivated us to expand on our journey for more natural and holistic remedies overall.

Manuka Honey

Antimicrobial + antiviral + antibacterial + antiseptic + anti inflammatory + immune supporting + healing properties.

Manuka honey has been an immune supporting staple in our home for years. It’s always been said to take a spoonful of honey when you have a sore throat. We’ve combined a spoonful of Manuka with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon & felt relief same day. Cinnamon has antimicrobial agents that attack strep bacteria which causes sore throats.

Manuka is great as a preventative measure as well. Just make sure your Manuka has a UMF factor of 10 or higher. Your best bet in making sure you’re buying authentic Manuka is to go to your local health food store, local farm co-op or online to purchase the real deal.

Our Protocol

In addition to my husband and I living med-free with Lupus and hypertension respectively, we now manage colds, flu, our kids’ asthma and allergies holistically as well. When one or all of us are falling ill we do the following:

• Hydrate with plenty of mineral or spring water and homemade juices around the clock. You want to give your body a chance to fight off the virus and not have to exert all of its energy digesting food.
• Consume only light & alkalizing foods, fruits and herbs: pineapple, mango, grapes, apples, soursop, watermelon, blueberries, cherries, lemon, lime, carrot, celery, lentils, chickpeas, mushroom, parsley, cilantro, ginger, turmeric, vegetable broth, etc.
• NO MUCOUS PRODUCING FOODS ie: milk, butter, yogurt, ice cream, desserts of any kind, heavy starches (bread and potatoes), white rice, soy, eggs, fish, meat, poultry, tree nuts, soy, refined sugars, coffee, soda, pasta, corn and corn products.
• SLEEP.
• Eucalyptus showers.
• Epsom Salt Baths (detox bath) to remove as many toxins as possible. Soak for a minimum of 20 minutes. Add equal parts water and raw Apple Cider Vinegar (with the mother) for an extremely powerful detox bath.
• Take one or more of the supplements recommended above depending on your symptoms.
• Remember, fevers mean your body is fighting off whatever infection or illness you may have. Let your body work but don’t let the temp get too high. I’ll touch more on this in another post.

Pulling away from conventional treatments for illnesses in our family wasn’t an overnight process. You’d be surprised how much fear of the unknown + being comfortable with what we had known & been told, used and grew up on all our lives had a role in our decision process. We’ve read, researched and used these methods as preventative + immune boosting tools with great success .

What we do know is that the side effects of most medications (especially the most commonly administered Tylenol and Motrin) have crazy side effects when administered regularly. One of the biggest side effects is liver failure. I will touch on this more on another post as well.

Bottom line? Medication is foreign to the body and must be metabolized & filtered by the body. This requires energy that could be used to fight off the illness or infection at hand. If you’ve tried any of the remedies listed above let me know in the comments.

Listed above are my own personal guidelines & are for reference only. I’m not a medical doctor so make sure you come up with a plan that works for you after speaking with a trusted medical professional of your choosing. This post contains affiliate links.