Cold Prevention Remedies

[woodsl]

Well, I am home from work with a cold. I just had one in January (which turned into a respiratory infection, yuk!!). I think I get way too many colds (about 3 a year), and I always end up with a dry cough that seems to hang on forever. In the past I have not been good about consistently taking vitamins, but if it will help to prevent so many colds, I will be more consistent. Do any of you have any suggestions for vitamins, etc., that can be taken to successfully avoid so many colds. Thanks in advance.

[SueK]

I take echinacea a lot. When the weather changes, and I know my allergies are going to start bothering me (which then leads to colds and sinus problems) I take 3 or 4 capsules a day. Also, in the winter, whenever I feel a cold coming on I take it, and usually it helps ward off any additional illness.

[KValley]

woodsl- I'm so sorry that you are under the weather http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif Fluids fluids fluids.

I agree with SueK about the echinacea. It won't prevent a cold, but it will ease the symptoms and may shorten the duration.

I take zinc picolinate on a regular basis- not every day as too much zinc may have the opposite effect and weaken the immune system- but I take 60 mgms 3-4 x a week. I started this after reading an article in Health magazine last fall that zinc picolinate is a remedy for adult acne- my skin went to heck after I quit taking birth control pills last Spring. It has helped and an unexpected benefit has been to build up a resistance to colds. I have not had a cold- even a smidgen of one- for a year. My husband is a teacher and is around all sorts of kid germs- he has had 3-4 colds since September- but not I!
Worth a try!

Just want to add that zinc is a common ingredient in cold remedies and the caveat that this is my HO- not gospel- I'm not a dr!!

Julie

[This message has been edited by KValley (edited 04-20-2001).]

[funnybone]

I take nothing and have not had a cold this winter.

I think it is all an individual thing. We do not know when we will come down with something, and I really don't think that you can really prevent it. To start, it's helps to eat right, drinking plenty of fluids and get 7 to 8 hours of sleep. What happens after that is unknown.

[donleyk]

Hand washing is helpful too. And watch those nasty door knobs, etc. at work and public places.

[woodsl]

Thanks everyone for all the advice. I will try the echinacea and the zinc picolinate (In fact, I think I have some echinacea herb tea). Funnybone, your advice about 7-8 hours of sleep may be a key for me. I probably only average about 5-6 hours a night. I received my May issue of CL yesterday and noticed there is an article about insomnia. I am going to read it because I know I don't get enough sleep - I usually go to bed at a decent hour, but wake up in the middle of the night and have trouble going back to sleep. Perhaps this article will have some suggestions.

[This message has been edited by woodsl (edited 04-20-2001).]

[Sara Emily]

My favorite pharmacist is very big on building up the immune system with pycnogenol, one of the most powerful and well researched antioxidant formulas, and on olive leaf extract capsules. The latter acts as a natural antibiotic or anticeptic. My DH has had horrible bouts with shingles ( They also have a viral cause!) four times now and there is little you can do but "ride them out" once you've taken the initial course of expensive medication that keeps them from spreading. This last time, on the pharmacist's recommendation, he took olive leaf extract capsules 3x daily, and it lasted only half as long and was not nearly as severe!

[beccathebaker]

Whenever I feel a cold coming on, I make a meal that features garlic-lots and lots of garlic. I swear that the next day my symptoms will have disappeared! Sometimes I will roast a whole head and squeeze it out on bread or pasta and eat the whole head. I also swear by lots of hot liquids. The heat in the liquids has actually been shown to kill germs that live in the throat and nose which is why soup and tea are more effective than just plain cold juice or water. Good luck- hope you feel better soon. The worst thing about colds is that there is really no cure and you have to just wait them out. Rent a good movie or curl up with a good book and pamper yourself!
-Becca

[KValley]

becca- i love the garlic idea!! I'm going to try that one http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

I just want to second everyone's comments about liquids. I reread the "..too much liquid" thread on Good Food and realized that my increase in water consumption this year has as least as much to do with illness prevention as any supplements I take- I drink about 100 oz/water (and hot herbal tea) a day, about 75-80 percent of the time.

I'm also pretty selfish about my sleep- I get about 7 1/2-8 hrs/night 10 pm to 5:45, same on weekends.

When I worked at a university (I now work from home), I would invariably get ill at the end of a term- usually in December, or over Spring Break. It was as if my body just held itself together long enough to get me through the peak stress periods and the moment I relaxed, my body said "okay, that's it- you're down for the count, now that you have the time to be ill!"

[woodsl]

Thanks again for all the advice. I did drink tons of fluids yesterday (including about 5 cups of echinacea herb tea) and just rested. I feel much better today. Also, thanks for letting me whine about a little cold. Except for colds, I am healthy and have a lot for which to be thankful!!

Sharon

[This message has been edited by woodsl (edited 04-21-2001).]