The Best Herbal Teas to Drink When Fighting a Virus

When you are sick with a viral infection, staying properly hydrated is absolutely essential. Herbal teas are an excellent drink option because they can help your body to fight the virus while providing you with the water you need to survive. In addition to taking the proper medication and getting plenty of rest, these herbal teas can help you to recover quickly from any virus.



Ginger 
Ginger contains 12 naturally occurring antiviral compounds that help the body to fight back against invading viruses. Several research studies have also found that ginger is a highly effective cure for nausea, so it is perfect if you are dealing with a virus, such as gastroenteritis, that causes an upset stomach. If you are at risk of dehydrating because you are vomiting so much, ginger is definitely the best tea for you. To make ginger tea, try boiling raw, peeled ginger root in fresh water and then straining the tea.

Lemon Balm
This herb is part of the mint family, and it has a pleasant and mildly citrus-like flavor. This herb makes a tea that is highly effective at fighting against influenza. The most powerful antiviral compounds in lemon balm are volatile oils that only fight illness when the lemon balm is fresh. Therefore, lemon balm tea is far more effective when it is made from fresh leaves instead of dried or cured leaves.

Echinacea 
Echinacea has been shown to increase properdin levels. This gamma globulin protein stimulates immune system responses, and it can even completely neutralize certain viruses. Echinacea is both antiviral and antibacterial, so it will keep you from catching other infections while your body is fighting off the main virus. In addition to getting a carpet cleaner for clean environment and regularly washing your hands, you can regularly sip echinacea tea to avoid coming down with multiple viruses at once. You can make a tea from either the leaves or the flower petals of echinacea to get its virus fighting benefits.



St. John's Wort 
This type of tea is typically made from the flower petals of the plant, and research suggests it might even be beneficial for viruses such as hepatitis C and HIV/AIDS. St. John's wort contains hypericin and pseudohypericin, and these antiviral compounds bind to virus cells surfaces and keep them from interacting with healthy cells. You can get most of the benefits of St John's wort by soaking the dried herbs in water to make a tea.

Oregano
Like lemon balm, oregano is also part of the mint family of herbs that works best when the fresh leaves are made into a tea. It is great at soothing the symptoms of strep throat while working to stop the virus. However, oregano is so powerfully antimicrobial that it can kill beneficial gut bacteria if taken for too long, so you might want to start eating yogurt or other probiotic foods while fighting a virus with oregano.

White Sage
White sage contains both camphor and eucalyptol, and these two items are harvested for countless influenza and rhinovirus medications. However, you can get the benefits of white sage naturally by making it into a tea. The compounds in sage soothe inflamed throats and mouths, lessening coughing and soreness while you are sick. It also aids digestion, so it can help to prevent you from getting an upset stomach while sick.



Most of these herbal teas work by boosting the body's immune system or calming down symptoms associated with most viruses. Not only are they tasty, especially when sweetened with honey, but they are also effective. Though it is impossible to completely cure a virus with herbal teas, they can make your period of sickness much shorter and less severe.