Natural Flu Protection – The Humble Onion

The time of year when the danger of catching the common cold or its most severe form, flu, comes round surprisingly quickly each year and with it the need for refreshing our memories about natural ways of protecting ourselves and our loved ones against all manner of airborne bacteria, including any flu viruses that may be at large. Let me begin with the story one of my friends told me some time ago of how when, as a child, he was in hospital and near dying. His Italian/African grandmother came to visit him and she told a family member to go buy her a large onion and a clean pair of white cotton socks. She sliced the onion open, then put a slice on the bottom of each of his feet and pulled the socks over this. In the morning when he awoke and the socks were removed, they found that the slices of onion had turned black and his fever was gone.

The following has been reported from the year 1919 when a flu virus is believed to have killed forty million people. One of the doctors, who visited people to see if he could help them, came upon a farm where, to his surprise, everyone was very healthy. When the doctor asked how this was achieved, the wife replied that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in the main room of their house. There would probably not have been more than two rooms in any case. The doctor couldn’t believe it and asked if he could have one of the onions and place it under the microscope. She gave him one and when he did this, he did find the flu virus in the onion. Clearly, through absorbing the bacteria, the onion had kept the family healthy.

Another story I heard from a hairdresser. She said that several years ago many of her employees were coming down with the flu and so were many of her customers. The next year she placed several bowls with onions around in her shop. To her surprise, none of her staff got sick and that certainly convinced her that it works. And no, I am not sharing this information with you because I am in the onion business. So, how about buying some onions and placing them in bowls around your home? If you work at a desk, place one or two in your office or under your desk or even on top somewhere. Try it and see what happens. The friend who sent me this says they did it in their home and they never got the flu.

If this helps us and our loved ones not to become sick, what could be better? But even if you do get the flu, because of the healing influence of the onion it will probably be only in a mild form. What is there to lose, apart from a few pence or cents on onions?

One lady reports as follows: ‘I contracted pneumonia and needless to say I was very ill. I came across an article that said to cut both ends off an onion put one end on a fork and then place the forked end into an empty jar, placing the jar next to the sick patient at night. It said the onion would be black in the morning from the germs. Sure enough it happened just like that. The onion was a mess, but I began to feel better.’

Another thing I read somewhere was that onions and garlic placed around the room saved many from the black plague in times gone by because of their powerful antibacterial, antiseptic properties.

Following the advice, I placed onions strategically all over my home, and I have to say, they do look quite decorative. One stands in a small wooden bowl in my living room and creates the impression of a sculpture. And by the way, because the onions do not have to be peeled, no unpleasant smells linger.

After reading the above, one of my friends contacted me with this: ‘I have tried both onion and garlic on ear infections. At one time my ear drum had actually burst, and even though I had been to see the doctor twice, each time she refused to prescribe antibiotics. This was because there was no redness in my ear canal thanks to the onion and garlic I had placed over it. I think she only believed me when, on my third visit, a discharge was evident.

‘My Grandmother used to place an onion in a bowl of water in rooms that had been painted and decorated, to take away the smell of the fumes.’

Another friend reported: ‘When my youngest boy was running a high fever and we could not get it to break, I tried one of my grandmother’s recipes. She used to take an onion, cut it in half and tied it to the bottom of the feet of the person who was running a fever. The onion draws out the fever. It worked with my little boy, too.’

From Dian Dincin Buchman’s excellent book ‘Herbal Medicine’ come the following two remedies: ‘Coughs: An old pioneer remedy consists of simmered honey and onion syrup. The onion may be juiced first and added to the honey, if this seems desirable. If available, add a pinch of thyme and ginseng powder, as both are very helpful in chest complaints.’

‘Coughs, Bronchitis, Asthma: Make an onion broth. Cut up a large red onion. If you haven’t got one, a white one will work, too. Add a pint of cold water, a pinch of salt and a pat of butter and simmer until the onion is soft. Place the broth in a hot bowl and eat it as hot as possible, without removing the onion pieces. Minerals from the onion and its mucilaginous properties help soothe the inflamed mucous membranes and induce perspiration. This helps to reduce the chest congestion and causes the release of toxins.’

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