Health Issues Foods to fight a cold

[peacefulveglady]

I have several hand santizers near me and I am using these alot.

 

[Joe]

Reader's Digest some years ago published an article where they studied what actually helped with a cold.

I remember two things from the article.

Chicken soup without the chicken. In other words, traditional chicken soup helps due to the vegetables and other non-chicken ingredients in the soup.

Echanacea angustifolia. (sp?)

 

[ledboots]

Reader's Digest some years ago published an article where they studied what actually helped with a cold.

I remember two things from the article.

Chicken soup without the chicken. In other words, traditional chicken soup helps due to the vegetables and other non-chicken ingredients in the soup.

Echanacea angustifolia. (sp?)

Echinacea. Some studies show that taken at the beginning of a viral infection, it can help by boosting the immune system. Other studies show it doesn't work, but it does for me. I take it it if I feel I've been exposed to a cold and (knock on wood) haven't had a symptomatic upper respiratory infection in years.

 

[SummerRain]

I found a couple of interesting articles: Web MD, 4 Natural cold remedies discusses natural cold remedies and their scientific basis (the jist is that vitamin C may help in a small way reduce your symptoms, so may zinc, chicken soup is too hard to study and Echinacea doesn't seem to help). Interestingly though, it also said to wash your hands regularly and that most colds are spread through touching your nose or mouth when you've been in contact with the virus - not through air. Didn't know that

This article on sciencebasedmedicine.org says that anti-inflammatory painkillers and decongestiants help relieve the symptoms, nothing else really works. It says

Spoiler: General round up of information:

Over the counter (OTC) cough suppressants simply do not work and are not safe in children. If you have a serious cough, the kind that can cause injury, you need prescription medication (basically narcotics, like codeine). Also, in most cases using a cough suppressant makes no sense, especially in combination with an expectorant. You want to cough up the mucus and phlegm. If your cough is caused by a sore throat, take an NSAID. If it’s post nasal drip, treat the congestion as above. And if it’s severe, see your doctor. But don’t bother with OTC cough suppressants.

I have covered echinacea previously in detail – it does not work for the prevention or treatment of the cold or flu.

Vitamin C has been a favorite since Linus Pauling promoted in decades ago. But decades of research has not been kind to this claim. The research has failed to find a consistent and convincing effect for vitamin C in treating or preventing the common cold. For routine prevention, the evidence is dead negative. For treating an acute infection, there is mixed evidence for a possible very mild benefit, but this is likely just noise in the research.

Finally, there is some evidence that zinc or zinc oxide may reduce symptoms of a cold, but this evidence is mixed and unconvincing at present. At best the benefit is very mild (again, likely within the noise of such studies). Further, zinc comes with a nasty taste (something that also complicates blinding of studies) and many people may find this worse than symptoms it treats. Zinc oxide nasal sprays have been linked to anosmia (loss of smell, which can be permanent) and is certainly not worth the risk to treat a self-limited condition like the cold – even if they did work, which is unclear.

 

[Amy SF]

When I have a cold and I can't stop coughing, I end up with a sore throat from the nonstop coughing. Plus, when I'm trying to get some sleep, I can't take regular cold medicine because it will keep me awake. I had a really bad cold last year and went to see my doctor, and she prescribed cough syrup with codeine in it. This helped me tremendously by coating my throat and suppressing my coughing long enough for me to fall asleep, and keep me asleep. The OTC cough syrup doesn't help as much as the stuff with codeine in it. I've also noticed that most cough tablets don't do a damn thing for me when my throat really hurts and I have a bad cough. They may soothe my throat, but only for about 5 minutes, and then it's time to eat another one.

 

[Joe]

... Interestingly though, it also said to wash your hands regularly and that most colds are spread through touching your nose or mouth when you've been in contact with the virus - not through air. Didn't know that

In the same vein, The Reader's Digest article said that one of the things that helped (although it is not a food) is the use of facial tissues impregnated with some sort of antibacterial/antiviral chemical. Kleenex used to market these, but I believe has discontinued the line. Dunno if some other brand of tissue makes these types of tissues now. (Of course, you should wash you hands, too.)

 

[yakherder]

I would also suggest making sure you have something in your stomach before going to bed. During sleep is when your immune system is most active, as it does not have to share resources with your waking systems during that time. It is, therefore, ideal to give it something to metabolize. Carbohydrates for your immune system to burn, fats and proteins so it has something with which to rebuild lost cells, and vitamin C since that is one of the vitamins your body cannot stockpile and therefore needs regularly in small doses.

 

[Amy SF]

I would also suggest making sure you have something in your stomach before going to bed. During sleep is when your immune system is most active, as it does not have to share resources with your waking systems during that time. It is, therefore, ideal to give it something to metabolize. Carbohydrates for your immune system to burn, fats and proteins so it has something with which to rebuild lost cells, and vitamin C since that is one of the vitamins your body cannot stockpile and therefore needs regularly in small doses.

That's interesting, because the conventional wisdom says it's a bad idea to eat anything before going to bed, although I think the advice is mainly linked to attempts to lose weight more than anything else.

 

[yakherder]

Pretty much every animal in the world immediately takes a nap after eating. Humans are the only ones who have convinced themselves it's a problem

 

[thefadedone]

Pretty much every animal in the world immediately takes a nap after eating. Humans are the only ones who have convinced themselves it's a problem

Well except for on Thanksgiving.

 

[ledboots]

Pretty much every animal in the world immediately takes a nap after eating. Humans are the only ones who have convinced themselves it's a problem

I agree completely about a snack before bed, I always have done this.

Years ago after my mom had her heart attack, her cardiologist told her to rest after meals because of the blood being shunted to the digestive system.

 

[Joe]

Here's a scan of the Kleenex AntiViral Tissues. Three layers. The middle layer is impregnated with citric acid, which acts as an antiviral agent.

 

[Amy SF]

Now that the cold and flu season is here, don't forget: Cranberries are an excellent source of vitamin C. In addition to citrus fruits, cranberries and cranberry products should be a big part of your diet all year round, but especially during the cold and flu season to help boost your immune system. Also, in addition to buying canned, dried and frozen cranberries and cranberry sauce, take advantage of seasonal sales on bags of fresh cranberries. Buy up as many as you like, store in airtight Ziploc bags (squeeze all the air out before closing) or plastic boxes with well-fitting lids, be sure to write the date on the bag or on a strip of freezer tape with a Sharpie or freezer marker, and store in your freezer. A good freezer will allow you to store the cranberries for months! Use the cranberries to make sauce and relish and to add to baked goods. If you have something you use for drying fruits and vegetables, you can dry fresh cranberries and avoid the sugar and other additives that you might find with commercially made dried cranberries.

(Not a c/p, I just typed this up myself)

 

[ledboots]

Excellent and delicious advice, Amy!

 

[Amy SF]

Thanks.

I should add that sweetener is actually required with cranberries as they are naturally very sour, but whatever you do with cranberries, at least you can ensure you use a vegan sweetener and control the amount you use. That's not the case with commercially prepared cranberry products.