As the days get shorter and the temperatures decline we start sifting through our cabinets to take stock of what herbs we have on hand to keep us healthy. This is the time of the year when the gift of herbal remedies is most appreciated.

Herbs have become increasingly popular and most people can now say “echinacea” properly. Health practitioners from all backgrounds are becoming more familiar with herbs either out of their own curiosity or from their patients' preferences. Herbs have become a common part of taking care of ourselves.

There are plenty of helpful herbs we can use to keep our immune system in tip top shape for winter. Combining herbs in just the right way can bring about even more profound effects than just a single herb.

INF Blend has been a wintertime favorite since Hanna Kroeger introduced it in the 1970’s. It is a robust product you can feel working.

This is a unique combination of herbs, used for warding off the discomforts of colds and flu. Some great herbs for colds are in this formula: chamomile, capsicum and eucalyptus. Lemon peel is used in folk herbalism to increase the efficiency of the liver and spleen, two key organs in our ability to resist infection. Naturopaths are fond of recommending lemon peel for its reputed content of bioflavinoids and vitamin C. Coltsfoot, wahoo and yerba santa are traditional Native American lung tonic and expectorant herbs for coughs and congestion. According to folk literature yerba santa, chamomile and capsicum increase sweating and open pores for breaking fevers. Thyme and mugwort are favored in European traditional herbalism for minor infections and the sluggish liver and poor detoxification that often accompanies them.

It is not difficult to see how this formulation works. Capsicum, eucalyptus and lemon peel add some heat to burn out the offending organisms. There is also an action of changing the acidity or PH of the system to create an unsuitable environment for an infection to take hold.

Having the right herbs can be of great assistance to staying healthy along with diet, exercise and rest. INF Blend is an herbal supplement everyone should have on hand.