Cold & Flu Health

Cold & Flu Health

Written by Christina Whitford

What's wrong with this concept? A cure for the common cold. Well, take the prosaic adjective common, please: you can't sniff out anything common about the common cold. If you've seen one influenza virus, you haven't seen them all; no two influenza viruses are alike, even though you feel equally achy, different types of viral pathogens inflict colds, and flu viruses continually mutate from year to year. A cure, therefore, eludes medical detectives. A more realistic police action: Fortify your immune system to resist and rapidly recover from the sniffles when they strike.

The common cold is an acute viral infection caused by one of the many contagious rhinoviruses that invade the upper respiratory tract. (The rhino in rhinovirus refers to your nose, one of the favorite domains of these pesky germs). For each cold you suffer, the viral culprits may change, but the discomforts remain distressingly similar: sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, sneezes and coughs. According to the American Medical Association, grownups get two to four colds a year; kids average six to eight. Colds can induce low fevers, especially in children; high fevers are rare. The cold strikes about 18-to-48 hours after the virus enters your body. Then you're stuck with it for four to 10 days. The flu also is an acute viral infection; the culprit: a myxovirus. Like the common cold, this scourge infects your upper respiratory tract. About 48-hours after you encounter a flu virus, illness appears suddenly. More severe than colds, flu can cause chills, fever, headache, muscle-aches and pains, fatigue and coughs. Flu, like colds, usually resolve in less than two weeks. Once the viral infection clears, however, a bacterial infection may strike, taking advantage of a pooped-out, vulnerable immune system. In both colds and flu, these secondary infections may cause earaches, sinus infections, or respiratory infection-bronchitis or, in severe cases, pneumonia.

  Herbal medicines have been used for centuries to treat runny noses and muscle aches. Contemporary clinical research validates these herbs as potent immune boosters and antimcrobial agents that are safe and gentle. Botanicals can stimulate and heighten your immune resistance to viral invasions, preparing the system to repel attacks. Used alone or in combination for synergistic effect, you can battle cold and flu with:

ECHINACEA: (E. purpurea and E. angustifolia), for the treatment and prevention of acute cold, flu, fevers and infections. Extracts provide antiviral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal protection, according to N.G. Bisset's Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals (CRC Press). This pretty native plant, long used by indigenous Americans, stimulates production and activity of the immune cells called macrophages that eat invading organisms such as viruses and bacteria before they become infectious, excrete the waste and release information about them to other immune cells (Azneimittelforschung, 38, 1988: 276-281). In March of this year, researchers at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences revealed that in preliminary clinical trails, echinacea stimulated infection-fighting white blood cells in healthy men. "Echinacea is very complex," says Susan Percival, the lead UF scientist on the project. "It has all kinds of chemicals, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. There are thousands of things in this one herb that could be enhancing immune function. That's the important thing to find out, the mechanism by which these changes occur. We don't know yet. We just know that it happens."

Take echinacea at the first sign of infection every two hours until symptoms subside, then three times daily for one week to ensure complete recovery. Research

GOLDENSEAL: (Hydrastis canadensis) treats infection and inflammation. One of its active components, berberine, is a hefty antimicrobial agent shown to combat E. coli and streptococcus (Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 1988: 1370-1374). Naturopathic doctors use Goldenseal extract to relieve congestion in mucous membranes, especially the nasal and respiratory passages. Ideally, echinacea should be combined with goldenseal and taken every two hours until cold or flu discomforts subside, then three times daily for one week. A combination of these two possesses anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties and is the foundation for acute cold and flu treatment. Research

VITAMIN C : Thanks to Linus Pauling, vitamin C remains America's number one choice for enhancing immunity. Studies suggest that vitamin C may influence interferon production and have a stimulating effect on phagocyte activity. Interferon is a protein produced as the body's first line of defense against viral infection. Phagocytes, which have been called the "Pac Men" of the immune system, digest and destroy pathogens. The ability of vitamin C to shorten the duration and lessen the severity of colds is now commonly acknowledged. However, in 1997, vitamin C researched Dr. Harri Hemilae found a 30 percent decrease in the number of common cold episodes among those using 1,000 mg or more of the vitamin. There is one important caveat: This held true only with people who were under physical stress or who initially had a low dietary intake of vitamin C. (According to the article in the British Journal of Nutrition, Dr. Hemilae reviewed studies involving 5,000 cold episodes). In situations where a comparison was made between vitamin C users and those taking a placebo, there was no difference in the incidence of colds but chest colds and throat colds were less likely to develop. Work completed by Elliot Dick, professor of preventive medicine at the University of Wisconsin Medical School, long ago showed similar results. Dr. Dick postulated that vitamin C may interfere with virus transmission in some way. Vitamin C intake can be determined by a method called "bowel tolerance." Begin by taking vitamin C hourly in increments of 500 mgs. When the bowels become loose, drop the dose back by 500 mgs and the daily intake is established. Tolerance for vitamin C is not constant and the body will use much more when it is actively fighting an illness. The bowel tolerance method can be eliminated altogether by taking "Ester C," a patented type of buffered vitamin C which gets into the tissues more quickly and stays there longer.

 ASTRAGALUS: Chronic fatigue, weakened immune system, urinary and respiratory infection, chronic lung weakness. Generally indicated in any long-term weakness. Astragalus has been considered for chronic infections of the mucous membranes, as a tonic in fatigue and general weakness, loss of appetite and spontaneous perspiration due to adrenal weakness. Normalizing and tonic support effects continue to make this herb popular today. Modern research on this herb is focused on its post-treatment use as an immunostimulant for patients undergoing chemotherapy.

ZINC : In 1996, a patent was issued for a certain type of zinc lozenge as "a cure for the common cold." According to research findings reported in Annals of Internal Medicine, the zinc gluconate lozenges shortened cold duration significantly. Michael Macknin, Ph.D. and co-worker at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation reported that colds lasted only 4.4 days compared with 7.6 days in the placebo group. Patent holder George Eby explains that zinc ions are released into the mouth and go directly to the infected nasal tissues. There they work as antirthinoviral agents, immune system stimulants, interferon inducers, cell plasma/membrane pore closing agents, antioxidants, protease inhibitors, and strong drying agents.

Prevention Relief

Colds and Flu:

For optimal health during the cold and flu season, follow this monthly rotational program for prevention

Week 1. Echinacea, and Goldenseal, one dose three times daily

Week 2-3. Echinacea and Goldenseal, one dose two times daily.

Week 4. Astragalus, one dose three times daily.

For acute cold and flu relief:

1. Echinacea and goldenseal, one dose every two hours

2. Vitamin C, and burdock three times daily

3. Zinc lozenge, every two to four hours

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