Let’s get straight to the bottom line: the average cold lasts 3-7 days. That is a long time that most of us can’t afford to spend on being sick or not being at our best!
When you feel the first sensation that something is off – that tickle at the back of the throat, runny nose, that achy feeling – this is the time to take full action! It’s important to listen to your body’s warning signs and take immediate action if you want to stop a cold from progressing, and better yet, preventing it all together.
Here are my 5 tips you can start implementing today on the first sign of an emerging cold:
1) Vitamin and Nutrient must-haves: vitamin C is a no-brainer, but do you remember taking your vitamin D? I test levels with many patients and I am surprised every time to see how many are still deficient, even after the summer (in fact I was one of them!). Dosing will vary according to your level of deficiency but taking 1,000 IU is the bare minimum. Don’t forget your probiotics and vitamin C as well.
2) Take care of the organ that houses 70% of your immune system! This may surprise you, but this organ is the digestive tract! You can therefore imagine that what you eat, can make or break a cold. Studies show that eating 100g of sugar (1L of soda) can depress your immune system by 40% up to 5 hours after consumption. Cutting back on your daily sugar intake can have a lasting impact on how your immune system performs.
3) Nature’s best Antimicrobial: oregano oil! Not the spice, but the concentrated oil form. It doesn’t taste good but it gets the job done! Gargling 4-6 drops when you have a sore throat a few times per day will clear it right up. Mix with a bit of olive oil or coconut oil and do not take it for longer than 10 days. Also this should not be given to kids.
4) Be aggressive right off the bat – the time when seasons change is not the time to forget your supplements, nor should you expect that eating an extra orange will provide you all the vitamin C your body needs. On the first signs of a cold, don’t be afraid to increase the dose on some basic and essential nutrients discussed here for up to 5 days.
5) Don’t forget your pantry! I love home remedies for a cold because they are so simple and effective. Gather whatever you have at your disposal and steep into a tea: grated ginger, dash of cayenne pepper, chamomile, lemon, teaspoon of raw honey, and drink throughout the day. At night-time throw a clove of garlic to the mix and you will wake up as good as new!
Try these tips the next time you feel under the weather and let me know how you did! If you happen to be the type to pick up a cold whenever in the presence of someone who is sick, your immune system may need more ongoing support, a preventative approach, or an immune boosting IV for faster healing. Contact me for a more personalized approach.
If you have any topics you want to know more about, send me your questions to [email protected] I would love to hear from you!
No Comments