Multi-vitamins don’t always contain enough of each type of vitamin and mineral your body requires. Make sure to check the ingredient label to ensure a multi-vitamin has enough of what you need. If not, purchase the individual vitamins you require. Always check with your doctor when taking vitamins and minerals, especially if you’re on other medications, to ensure there are no side effects or interactions.

There are no herbs that have been researched specifically for pertussis. But many herbs have been found to help strengthen the immune system and reduce coughing, which might be helpful if you have pertussis.

Add 1 teaspoon of echinacea to 1 cup of boiling water and letting it steep for 5-10 minutes. Once steeped you can drink 2-4 cups of the tea per day. If using the supplement version, follow the instructions on the bottle.

Crush 2-3 cloves of garlic and add the crushed garlic to 2 cups of water in a saucepan. Allow the mixture to boil and simmer for 15 minutes, then remove the garlic pieces. Drink the cooled mixture. Add honey if you need to sweeten the tea. You can drink 2-4 mugs of garlic tea per day.

Place 1 teaspoon of hyssop in a mug of boiling water and allow it to steep for 5-10 minutes. You can drink the tea 2-4 times a day.

Add 1 teaspoon of anise to 1 cup of boiling water and allow to steep for 5-10 minutes. You can drink 2-4 mugs of anise tea per day to help your cough.

Put 1 teaspoon of catnip in a mug of boiling water and allow it to steep for 5-10 minutes. You can drink 2-4 mugs of catnip tea per day.

Add 1 teaspoon of the herb to 1 cup of boiling water and allow it to steep for 5-10 minutes. Drink the tea 2-4 times a day to help your cough.

Add 2 teaspoons of dried thyme, or 1 sprig (slightly crushed), to a mug of boiling water. Steep for 5-10 minutes. You can drink 2-4 mugs of thyme tea a day. Do not consume thyme essential oil, it is toxic.

You can also add 3-6 drops of your favourite essential oil to a humidifier or a bath to help relieve congestion.

Alternatively, you can just use castor oil without any other ingredients. Put the castor oil directly onto a soft cloth on your chest, and then put plastic wrap over top of the cloth. Then you can you place a heat source over the plastic wrap for 30-60 minutes. Castor oil is an anti-inflammatory, and, according to some research, an immune booster.