End the cycle

It’s important to maintain a healthy lifestyle that promotes respiratory and immune health. There are some simple things you can do to help avoid getting colds:

  • Regularly wash your hands.
  • Avoid touching your eyes and nose.
  • Avoid smoking or vaping.
  • Exercise regularly.
  • Drink plenty of water or hydrating fluids.
  • Reduce sugar intake.
  • Eat plentiful amounts of vegetables.

Treating the relentless cold

If your suffering seems unending, consult a physician to determine whether other opportunistic infections, such as bronchitis or ear or sinus infections, may have taken hold. This is especially important if you suffer from a chronic condition like asthma. If you experience a high fever, ear pain, or unusually severe cold symptoms, it’s best to consult a physician.

Chat with your primary health provider before trying any new supplement. Natural remedies that are thought to be hard-hitters against cold viruses include the following.

  • Curcumin. The yellow pigment that gives curries their signature yellow color has potent antiviral properties.
  • Echinacea. One of the most widely used herbs in the world, echinacea acts as an immune stimulant and antimicrobial agent.
  • Elderberry. This is an important traditional medicine, long used by the Indigenous peoples of North America.
  • Garlic. A culinary herb of choice and a popular traditional herb for the treatment of the common cold.
  • Ginger. Fresh ginger has long been used to ease the symptoms of the common cold.
  • Panax ginseng. Korean red (panax) ginseng has antiviral effects.
  • Quercetin. A type of flavonoid found in many fruits and vegetables, quercetin has been found, in cell studies, to be a potent antiviral agent, inhibiting viral replication of several respiratory viruses.
  • Vitamin C. Long-term supplementation with vitamin C has been shown to help shorten the duration of symptoms in those who are infected with respiratory viruses.
  • Vitamin D. Research over many decades has solidified the importance of maintaining adequate vitamin D levels for immune health to protect against viral infections.
  • Zinc. Important for the body’s ability to fight off viral and bacterial invaders, zinc is found in cells throughout the body.

By Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD, DNM