All the social distancing and mask-wearing that people have been doing over the last year may have gotten them through all four seasons without coming down with a cold, but as restrictions begin to lift, the cold and flu season is making a comeback.

Naturopathic doctor, Kate Rhéaume joined us this morning with tips on how to bounce back if you are ill.

For many, the first sign of a cold coming along is a tickle in the throat. Rhéaume says to have Echinacea plant on hand.

“It has been shown that when taken at the first sign of a cold, it can shave one to four days off of the duration of the cold,” said Rhéaume.

She notes that dried Echinacea tea leaves or powder have lost all of the plant’s active ingredients and will not be helpful. Instead, look for fresh extracted Echinacea in liquid or soft shell capsules at your local health food store.

Rhéaume says vitamin C rich foods are essential in helping the immune system produce antibodies which fight off the cold and flu. Some examples include oranges, bell peppers and papayas.

“Antibodies are an important part of recovering faster from any viral illness,“said Rhéaume.

She says mushrooms are underrepresented when it comes to being a great source of nutrients that help support immune health that are hard to find in other foods.

“They’re one of the few food sources that contains a little bit of vitamin D, for example,“ said Rhéaume.

She says hand washing is an important step in preventing the cold and flu from spreading.

“We’re all washing more often now, but singing that song or doing whatever you need to do to keep washing for ideally 30 seconds makes a huge difference in removing and destroying any viruses that may be lurking on your hands,“ said Rhéaume.

As for finding comfort if you catch the cold or flu, Rhéaume says to stay hydrated with water, soup and tea.

She says to use her nutritional tips to help build a strong immune defense just in case washing hands and physical distancing is not enough.