Don't Let the Bug Get You Down
Five Ways to Beat Cold & Flu Season
With the leaves beginning to change colors, the kids in the midst of fall classes, and our schedules becoming jam-packed with too many commitments, the cold and flu season looms threateningly overhead. In the following article, you will find some helpful suggestions for beating back colds and flus, so that you can maintain your active lifestyle.
The common cold:
The common cold is a short-term (acute) viral infection of the upper respiratory tract that may be spread through the air (by sneezing, for example) or by contact with contaminated objects. The common cold often causes runny nose, sore throat, and vague discomfort (malaise).
Nutritional supplements that may be helpful:
A review of 21 controlled trials using 1 to 8 grams of vitamin C per day found that “vitamin C reduced the duration of episodes and the severity of the symptoms of the common cold by an average of 23%.” The optimum amount of vitamin C to take for cold treatment may be as high as 1 to 3 grams per day, considerably more than the 120 to 200 mg per day that has been suggested as optimal intake for healthy adults. A review of 23 controlled trials found that vitamin C supplementation produces a greater benefit for children than for adults.
Zinc interferes with viral replication in test tubes, may interfere with the ability of viruses to enter cells of the body, may help immune cells to fight a cold, and may relieve cold symptoms when taken as a supplement. In double-blind trials, zinc lozenges have reduced the duration of colds in adults but have been ineffective in children. Zinc nasal sprays may be even more effective than zinc lozenges at speeding the resolution of cold symptoms. A double-blind trial showed a 74% reduction in symptom duration in people using a zinc nasal spray four times daily, compared with the 42 to 53% reduction reported in trials using zinc gluconate or zinc acetate lozenges.
Propolis extracts may be helpful in preventing and shortening the duration of the common cold. Propolis is the resinous substance collected by bees from the leaf buds and bark of trees. A preliminary clinical trial reported propolis extract (daily dose not given) reduced upper respiratory infections in children. In one small, double-blind trial of propolis for the common cold, the group taking on unstated amount of propolis extract became free of symptoms more quickly than the placebo group. Most manufacturers recommend 500 mg of oral propolis products once or twice daily.
Herbs that may be helpful
Four different categories of herbs are used to help combat the common cold. First, herbs that stimulate the immune system to fight the infection are used during the onset of the common cold—Echinacea and Asian ginseng are two examples. Second, herbs known as diaphoretics promote a mild fever and sweating both of which are useful for fighting infection. The third category includes herbs that, based on test tube studies, may directly kill the viruses that cause colds—goldenseal, myrrh, and usnea are examples. Finally, the fourth category of herbs that tends to be high in mucilage and is soothing and anti-inflammatory, or have tannins that are astringent (i.e., that constrict boggy tissue, promoting healing)—marshmallow and red raspberry are two examples.
Influenza a.k.a. the flu
Influenza is the name of a virus and the infection it causes. Although for most people the infection is mild, it can be severe and even deadly in those with compromised immune systems, including infants, the elderly, and people with diseases such as cancer and AIDS. In the past, huge epidemics of influenza have caused millions of deaths. Some nutritional and herbal recommendations for maintaining healthy immune function are also applicable for treating influenza.
What are the symptoms of influenza?
Symptoms of influenza include fever, muscle aches, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting. Other symptoms include headache, chills, dry cough, sore throat, pain when moving the eyes, sneezing, and runny nose. The onset of symptoms is often rapid and intense.
Medical treatments
Over-the-counter analgesics containing acetaminophen (Tylenol®) are safe for individuals of all ages to treat fever, body aches, and headache associated with the flu. Aspirin-containing products are not given to people under 18 years old who have flu symptoms, since this practice has been linked to an increased risk of Reye’s syndrome (brain and liver abnormalities that can lead to coma and death). People over 18 years old can take aspirin (Bayer®, Ecotrin®, Bufferin®) and ibuprofen (Motrin®, Advil®) to reduce pain and fever associated with the flu.
Nutritional supplements that may be helpful
Dockworkers given 100 mg of vitamin C each day for ten months caught influenza 28% less often than did their coworkers not taking vitamin C. Of those who did develop the flu, the average duration of illness was 10% less in those taking vitamin C than in those not taking the vitamin. Other trials have reported that taking vitamin C in high amounts (2 grams every hour for 12 hours) can lead to rapid improvement of influenza infections. Such high amounts, however, should only be used under the supervision of a healthcare professional.
Herbs that may be helpful
Echinacea has long been used for colds and flu. Double-blind trials in Germany have shown that infections associated with flu-like symptoms clear more rapidly when people take echinacea. Echinacea appears to work by stimulating the immune system. The usual recommended amount of echinacea is 3 to 5 ml of the expressed juice of the herb or tincture of the herb or root, or 300 mg of dried root powder three times per day.
The effect of syrup made from the berries of the black elderberry on influenza has been studied in a small double-blind trial. People receiving an elderberry extract (four tablespoons per day for adults, two tablespoons per day for children) appeared to recover faster than did those receiving a placebo.
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