The cold of recent days and the sudden changes in temperature are wreaking havoc on the health of the Aragonese. Added to the high incidence of flu is the increase in cases of other respiratory viruses that cause colds and colds, which in themselves are mild, but which cause general malaise, congestion, sore throat and cough. Symptoms that mean we are not at 100% and that disrupt our daily lives, even disabling those who suffer from it for a couple of days.
A visit to the family doctor or pharmacy seems obligatory in these cases, but many citizens also seek the support of other products or natural remedies that help them feel a little better, which is why herbalists and herbal shops are especially visited these days. . AND one of the most sought after products is thymea shrub with an intense smell, traditionally used as a natural remedy to which, among other benefits, expectorant qualities are attributed, making it used “always in infusion” in catarrhal processes.
“Thyme, rosemary and oregano are traditional plants that are sold throughout the year but in winter people take more because that’s when we get sick,” says Rosa Monforte, from Herbolario San Pablo. That is precisely what has happened to Antonio Piñero. A 55-year-old man from Zaragoza who had been “very cold and taking paracetamol” for several days, he explains. The symptoms – cough, sore throat and congestion – persisted, so “I went to buy thyme at a herbal store to make an infusion but they told me they didn’t have it because everyone was the same and they had run out. They offered me fennel instead, which has also been good for me,” he says.
“I went to buy thyme and they told me they were out of stock because everyone else was the same”
Sales for the entire year, in three months
Sales of this plant have skyrocketed for a few weeks now, coinciding with the high incidence of respiratory viruses. “There is a lot of demand for thyme at this time and We can sell 50 boxes to make infusion per week. This is 200 a month. However, each year we sell about 400 or 500 units, so in the two or three months of cold we sell all the thyme of the year,” says Eduardo Sanz, head of Herboristería La Salud and president of the Association of Herbalists and Ecostores of Aragon.
“In the two or three cold months we sell all the thyme of the year. Sales have skyrocketed”
“It is a product that is used to treat cough, mucus and cold symptoms, but it is not the only one and plants such as ginger, dandelion, agrimony or malvaflower, which are also taken as an infusion, in addition to eucalyptus, used to make steam, which has given a tremendous high,” Sanz lists. “In capsule or syrup, they are in high demand echinacea, cat’s claw or royal jelly”, he continues. The proof of this increase in the consumption of these elements is that “sales have increased by 200% and it is what is dispensed the most every day in the store, in addition to food supplements to strengthen the immune system,” he adds. the president of the Aragonese herbalists.
“Sales have increased by 200% and they are the products that are dispensed the most every day”
“They are products closely associated with time and their sales are concentrated in the coldest months of the year because no one wants to get sick,” insists Sanz. “We buy them when we realize that we are sick but we should take them all year round,” notes Rosa Monforte. “In winter we sell a lot of thyme and rosemary, but especially ginger. Whole to cook in infusion, with already prepared lemon or even ginger candies that are bought a lot by tour guides, teachers and people who have to talk a lot”says Lidia Vicente, owner of the DeTarros bulk products store.
In addition to infusions and food supplements, there are those who resort to other remedies to alleviate coughs, for example, such as milk with honey, and this is also noticeable on the shopping list. “In winter we double the sale of honey because many people add it to their infusions to prevent colds, but in these peaks that we are having in flu and respiratory viruses, sales still increase more and can reach 40% more than that already doubled increase,” says Vicente.
Rest, the best remedy
Aragonese family doctors remember that “There is no scientific evidence that these types of products can help with the symptoms of colds and colds,” says Izarbe Galindo, president of the Aragonese Society of Family and Community Medicine (Samfyc).
“Honey is just sugar, it has no healing properties and the only thing that someone who takes it for colds does is take a sugar that is not good for them,” he continues. “Lemon also does not have healing or antibiotic properties. Furthermore, in Europe we do not need more vitamin C and supplements in this regard are not necessary. It is better to take Fresh fruit during cold season because it is healthy, contains liquids and has vitamins. They help the mucus flow more fluidly“, lists Galindo
Regarding the mists, “they work as a nasal wash whether you put eucalyptus in it or not. They can be done with plain water or with saline or seawater and it is to remove the mucus,” he explains. Regarding infusions, “if you like them, go ahead. Thyme opens the airways a little but they are not panaceas. In Aragon there are many older people who collect it and have it at home and they like to drink this infusion,” says the president of Samfyc.
On the other hand, “syrups are expensive and have no effect, the discomfort will be improved by the paracetamol or the painkiller you take and the nasal washes you do, but above all, What we need is rest and that is precisely what modern life prevents us from, the most difficult and what cannot be bought,” he concludes.