FOREVER YOUNG

These drug-free remedies can help relieve sick-season symptoms so you feel better in a flash!

Grandma’s chicken noodle soup always helped us feel better when we were under the weather, and now scientists have proven the power of this kitchen cure: The soup’s garlic and veggies deliver compounds that activate virus-fighting cells.

Chicken soup isn’t the only timetested remedy for winter woes, adds functional medicine specialist Frank Lipman, M.D., (bewell.com). “There are many simple strategies to help you feel better that don’t require a visit to the doctor or drugstore,” he promises. Here, the targeted fixes for your worst symptoms!

TO SOOTHE A SORE THROAT

If you’re nursing a painful throat, your cure is a delicious one! Research in the journal World Wide Wounds suggests that enjoying 1 tbsp. of raw honey twice daily cuts throat pain in half within minutes and destroys up to 100 percent of invading germs on contact. The study authors credit an enzyme in raw honey that blocks virus and bacteria growth, plus moisturizes throat tissues to soothe pain.

TO EASE SINUS PAIN

When immune cells encounter invading germs, they release proteins that irritate delicate nerves, triggering sinus pain. An easy Rx: Set your blow-dryer on warm, hold it at least 18 inches from your nose and breathe in. European scientists say the warm, dry air improves blood flow to the sinuses and calms pain nerves, encouraging drainage and easing discomfort in 3 minutes.

TO CLEAR CONGESTION

Consuming 2 tbsp. of coconut oil daily can ease congestion in 48 hours and speed recovery time by 57 percent, say German scientists. The reason, says Bruce Fife, N.D., author of The Coconut Oil Miracle: “Coconut oil is 48 percent lauric acid, a fatty acid that reduces sinus inflammation and speeds the healing of damaged mucous membranes.” To get the benefits, stir the oil into cooked veggies or melt and drizzle over popcorn.

TO TAME ALLOVER ACHES

Wrapping yourself in a blanket and relaxing with a novel can soothe an achy body by 43 percent or more in just 10 minutes. How? When you’re sick, levels of the stress hormone cortisol rise, triggering body-wide inflammation and pain, but Austrian scientists found that taking even a small break drastically reduces cortisol production to ease the ache. Bonus: UCLA scientists say being engrossed in a book prods the brain to release immunity-boosting compounds, speeding your recovery.

“I eat garlic-rich foods, especially in the winter…that has helped reduce my bouts with colds and sniffles.”

Kim Cattrall, 61