Feeling a Cold Coming On?

Consider these points to minimize your downtime this cold season

-By Dr. Katie Weststrate, ND

Consider The Following:

• FEVER is your friend! Fever is the way your body kills the bug (they can only live in certain temperatures) – if possible (and the fever is <104), avoid taking medications to lower your fever. Let your immune system work for you! Some people actually find enhancing their fever –a hot bath to induce sweating then straight into bead under lots of warm blankets, actually helps them to ‘burn off’ the bug!
• Many herbs and nutraceuticals stimulate and/or strengthen the immune system and can drastically decrease the intensity or duration of illness. Consider the following: Sambuguard (elderberry)*, ColdFX (Panax Ginseng), High dose Vitamin C (>5000mg/d), Zinc lozenges, Echinacea*, Allimax (Garlic –  up to 10 caps/d – anti bacterial, viral and fungal!), Oil of oregano (5 drops in water 3x/day between meals). You can find most of these at your local health food store – like Healthily Ever After in Merrickville!
• Sore Throat? Gargle with warm salt water and baking soda (equal amounts of salt and soda) Thayers Slippery Elm lozenges and humidifiers in bedrooms also help!
• Sinus Congestion? Try the infamous netti pot/saline rinse – if making your own use equal amounts salt and baking soda, and be SURE to drain properly!

*Current research showed an echinacea-elderberry hot tincture to be as effective as oseltamivir (the common ‘gold standard’ influenza treatment) in the early treatment of confirmed influenza virus infections with a reduced risk of complications and adverse events.
K Raus et al. Effect of an Echinacea-Based Hot Drink Versus Oseltamivir in Influenza Treatment: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Double-Dummy, Multicenter, Noninferiority Clinical Trial. Current Ther. Research. December 2015 77, Pages 66–72. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.curtheres.2015.04.001