While The Skeptical
Husband is busy visiting bathrooms, loos, wash closets, toilets, and
port-a-potties (trust me, he’s seen them all in the last week!), I thought I’d share a few tips for staying
healthy during cold and flu season, because it seems like everyone I know is getting sick recently.
First up, get enough vitamin C because it
can shorten the length and severity of a cold. A great natural choice for
vitamin C is the acerola cherry. The
vitamin C content of one small acerola cherry is 65 times greater than an
orange. It also has high levels of vitamins A and B, in addition to C. The cherries also contain the key minerals calcium, iron, and phosphorus. Acerola
cherry supplements can be found in the vitamin section of your local health
food store.
While you're at the health food store, also look for Source Naturals Wellness Formula. This is really all you need when you think you’re
coming down with something. It has tons of vitamin C, zinc, propolis, garlic, echinacea,
goldenseal, and lots of other helpful ingredients. If you don’t want to spend
that kind of money (over $20 for a month's supply), grab a few packs of Emergen C; it’s full of vitamins B and C, and other ingredients that provide you with energy when your immune
system is taxed.
But what do you do once you're aleady sick? Well, you might consider Umcka Cold and Flu, packed with homeopathic remedies, this will help tackle your symptoms
and speed recovery. If you're congested you might want to think about a nasal spray, like Xlear which contains Xylitol. If you are unfamiliar with Xylitol, it is a carbohydrate found in nearly all fruits and veg, which cleans, soothes, and moisturizes nasal passages. Lastly, get plenty of rest and keep hydrated with coconut water and medicinal herbal teas that are formulated to support the immune system.
On a side note, antibiotics can be
overprescribed by doctors, but you may need to go down that road if your
infection is bacterial. Keep in mind that if taking antibiotics, it would be
wise to take a probiotic (which replenishes the good bacteria in your
intestinal tract) during or after your treatment. If you take your probiotic during treatment, just be sure to take it at least 2 hours after each antibiotic dose. Another option is to just wait until you've completed your entire 10-day antibiotic course, and then start taking probiotics.
I’d love to hear any
other suggestions on natural remedies for cold and flu season that have worked for you.
We use a netty pot with a saline rinse to clear nasal passages...if nasal secretions are green then mix in some betadine. I would love to know more about colloidal silver...how and when to use it.
ReplyDeleteAhhh, colloidal silver. I was tempted to say a thing or two about it in my last post, but held back for several reasons. I’ve only tried it once and didn’t have a positive or negative experience with it.
ReplyDeleteThis product comes with a warning, saying overuse can result in argyria, a blue-gray discoloration of the skin, eyes, internal organs, nails and gums, which is irreversible. That worries me a bit. And lastly, I haven’t been able to find any clinical research that supports the claimed benefits of colloidal silver.
On the other hand, I can tell you that this product sells incredibly well in my store. It is a centuries old remedy that was commonly prescribed for all sorts of diseases and infections before today’s antibiotics were widely available. Some people take it preventively to help boost the immune system during cold and flu season. Others take it for eye infections like pink eye. I’ve also heard of it being used as a disinfectant for minor cuts and scrapes.
Until The Skeptical Husband develops a bacterial infection like strep and successfully wipes it out with colloidal silver, I don’t feel comfortable endorsing this product.
If anyone has tried colloidal silver I’d love to hear about your experience.