Dr. Ashwani Garg (NorthShore)
Turmeric can be consumed in capsule form easily. Many capsules are compounded with piperine (from black pepper) which helps absorption. It is also available as a spice powder, I would suggest organic, and as a root which resembles ginger root. In spice form, it can be used for curries, soups and tea. In the raw form, it can be consumed as shredded into salads or blended in smoothies, as well as steeped into a tea.

Dr. Ashwani Garg (NorthShore)
While I am not familiar with turmeric for cholesterol, I can say it is a powerful anti-inflammatory. For arthritis, it is effective for both osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis, as well as other autoimmune conditions. The dose for full effect is usually higher which is 1000mg, 3 times a day. At this dose some people do get a bit of heartburn, so it has to be done carefully and after eating.

Dr. Ashwani Garg (NorthShore)
Many wonderful teas are available at our wellness shoppe in Glenview Park Center. My favorite ones to help relax include chamomile, peppermint, as well as rooibos. Rooibos has a highly anti-inflammatory effect. For immunity, many combinations are available. One unique tea I suggest is elderberry tea which has the flavor of blueberries. It is helpful for both treatment and prevention of viral infections. Thyme is also a powerful anti-inflammatory that is available in tea form.

Dr. Ashwani Garg (NorthShore)
More important than vitamins is proper diet. For a detailed look at the kind of diet I suggest, go to DrWeil.Com and look for the anti-inflammatory diet. Every meal, breakfast, lunch and dinner should help inflammation, not create it. Especially for people with mucus it is important to avoid dairy foods common in many holiday treats. More important than vitamin C are the foods that contain it. A green smoothie can be a quick and easy way to get in fruits and veggies to fight the winter infections. The main vitamins many are low in are vitamin D, vitamin B12, and DHA. I always suggest vegetarian sources of the DHA.

Dr. Ashwani Garg (NorthShore)
I suggest topical remedies which are very common in other countries, such as China Gel, or Tiger Balm, and others. Lavender essential oil and ginger have been shown to be helpful for headache. Most of all it's important to keep warm and get enough sleep during the stressful holiday times.

Dr. Ashwani Garg (NorthShore)
I am not a big fan of vitamin C tablets and prefer to suggest food-based vitamin C, especially berries, kiwi fruit, citrus fruits, and others. Many healthful components are present that work synergistically with the vitamin C present in the food.

Dr. Ashwani Garg (NorthShore)
For prevention, I suggest trying many of the teas that are available that we mentioned. Other than that, I suggest eating at least 2-3 servings of fruits and 5-7 servings of vegetables every day for the best of health. It's easier getting it through soups and stews, and even green smoothies. Nuts and seeds add to the health benefits.

Dr. Ashwani Garg (NorthShore)
I don't think there are any bad fruits or vegetables, however the ones that pack the most nutrient punch are also the brightest colored, such as berries and cherries, greens and beets, carrots and oranges. Adding a little turmeric, ginger, and chia/flax can pack nutrients into it too. For some simple smoothie recipes, there are some listed on http://smoothieshred.com/smoothie-recipes/

Dr. Ashwani Garg (NorthShore)
Some great lotions for heavy-duty skin protection include Ceravie, cetaphil, eucerin, aquaphor and aveeno. These can be used on little ones too. Coconut oil is a popular skin remedy also. Extra fluid intake also helps the skin. I suggest avoiding alcohol based hand cleansers as these aggravate the skin, and I suggest quick showers so that the water does not wash away the natural moisture.

Dr. Ashwani Garg (NorthShore)
I am just getting into essential oils for treatment, especially for the children. I am familiar with a few, and the remainder I would suggest checking with the Northshore Wellness Shoppe where we have experienced staff to help. The ones I use most commonly are: (1) Lavender, to help with headaches and for calmness and as a sleep aid (2) peppermint, to open up the nasal passages and (3) eucalyptus, to help with cough and respiratory symptoms. Many blends are available of these amazing herbs. A brief article from Dr. Weil on aromatherapy can be found here: https://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/balanced-living/wellness-therapies/aromatherapy/

Dr. Ashwani Garg (NorthShore)
Besides the usual saltwater gargle, Judy at our Wellness Shoppe suggests: Thyme Instead of a store-bought cough suppressent, try this at-home thyme syrup recipe. Thyme works as antiseptic in the throat and helps coat the receptors in your throat that make you want to cough. Ingredients 1 cup water 4 tbsp fresh or dried thyme 1 lemon 1/4 cup raw honey Directions Pour near boiling water over fresh or dried thyme. Steep for 15 minutes. Strain. Add lemon and honey. Pour into glass jar. You can store this mixture for up to one week in the fridge. Take 1 to 2 tablespoons every 3-4 hours, as needed. Sage Gargle The next time you feel a sore throat coming on, try a sage gargle. It not only relieves pain and kills bacteria, sage also acts as a great anti-inflammatory for your throat. Ingredients 1 cup of water 2 tsp fresh or dried sage 1/4 tsp salt Directions Bring water to boil, add sage. Steep for 10 minutes. Strain into cup. Add salt and gargle. Gargle every 2 hours, or as needed.

Dr. Ashwani Garg (NorthShore)
Fruits, vegetables, herbs/spices, and nuts/seeds win the award for the most immune boosting. There are scoring systems available that show the immune boosting potential of foods. The most powerful fruits are berries and cherries, most powerful veggies are cruciferous veggies such as cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, etc., beetroot and leafy greens. Chia, flax and sesame are powerful seeds, and walnuts/almonds are great as nuts. Many more available.

Dr. Ashwani Garg (NorthShore)
That sounds like a great idea! I have not done that before nor have I seen recipes. I usually get the ready-made ginger candies or Ricola, and I have found slippery elm drops and I'm sure that the herbal experts at the Northshore Wellness Shoppe might have some great ideas for the ingredients to do so! I am sure many of the ingredients discussed above would be great to put in.

Dr. Ashwani Garg (NorthShore)
The key with kids is to start with small amounts especially with tastes that may be foreign to them. And to always check for specific safety. Some herbal formulations are made especially for children such as the Elderberry preparations. For turmeric, I find it easy to mix it into rice or chickpea crepes that I make. Sometimes I will hide kale into a chocolate smoothie. So the other key is to hide the ingredients!

Dr. Ashwani Garg (NorthShore)
That one is a difficult question to answer, and the best way to answer is when in doubt, ask the doctor. At Northshore, it is easy to put an inquiry via Northshore Connect, because it's hard to generalize. Better to send through a message than to sit home and worry, that's my best advice. Of course, danger symptoms include high fever, shortness of breath, or severe pain of any sort especially chest pain, those deserve the doctor to be paged or to go to the ER.

Dr. Ashwani Garg (NorthShore)
A ginger shot is great - mix ginger and water together in a blender or juice it and drink. Sometimes I will make ginger lemonade. There is ginger candy either hard or chewable available, and sometimes I will pop 2-3 of them a day. Ginger-miso soup is warm and soothing, as are many Asian and Indian curries that can be made with ginger root. Lastly ginger kombucha not only gives ginger, but also many beneficial bacteria and yeast that can promote good winter health.