Starting to get cold! Don't let the sniffles get the best of you this season. In addition to the following ideas, see Body+Soul article on boosting your immunity; how to make over your medicine cabinet, brew herbal teas and build up your resistance.
1. Take herbs the right way: You've probably heard that echinacea can help fight a cold. But do you know the best way to take it? To get the full effect, you need a much larger does than what's recommended on most product labels. Take 3/4 teaspoon of an Echinacea purpurea tincture every two to three hours, starting as soon as you feel a cold flare up. Continue the treatment until a few days after your symptoms have subsided. For extra immune support, pair echinacea with the herb amla (aka Indian gooseberry), an adaptogen that builds resistance to stressors. During cold season, take two 250 mg capsules twice daily (go to http://www.iherb.com/).
2. Put the kettle on: A soothing cup of hot tea can bring cold relief by moistening your mucous membranes. But green tea may be especially helpful in keeping colds at bay because the antioxidant-packed brew contains compounds known to kill or inhibit the growth of certain viruses. For immune support during cold season, drink three cups of green tea daily (go to www.celestialseasonings.com/).
3. Pop some probiotics: Beyond tummy troubles, probiotics can lessen the length and severity of a cold. By stimulating the activity of white blood cells, these friendly bacteria rev up your defenses against cold viruses. A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that taking daily probiotic supplements led to a major drop in cold symptoms among a group of athletes. Stick with probiotic supplements throughout cold season, selecting a refrigerated capsule with 10 billion Lacto-bacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium logum and Bifidobacterium bifidum bacteria per daily dose.
4. Don't ditch your workout: When the sniffles start, ease up on exercise, but don't stop moving altogether. Research shows that while intense, vigorous activity can weaken immune function, moderate exercise might enhance immunity and shorten the duration of a cold. At a cold's onset, aim for a half hour daily of moderate intensity activities like brisk walking or biking. Or try tai chi, a gentle martial art found to help ward off viral infections, according to a number of recent studies. And since rest is also essential to recovery, take care to tuck in early and get your eight hours of sleep.
5. Added by me: Use one of the array of dietary supplements available for such occasions. I used Emergen-C on a recent world wind trip from Colorado, to Las Vegas, to Florida, to Jamaica, to Dallas and back to Colorado. I did not get sick at all, despite the long flights, delays and stress (and fun!). I started drinking them the day before my trip, drank one on every flight and several more during the day. The slightest cough, sore throat or just plain icky feel, I start using them and am better the next day without having the symptom worsen.
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