What is Cold and Flu Season?
Understanding the difference between the common cold and the flu can
may help ease your mind when you ponder how long your kids will be out
of school and thus how long you will be out of work. These facts that
follow can help you understand the symptoms and causes of each.
Primarily associated with rhinoviruses, the common cold is amongst
the most common illnesses in the world. The majority of treatments
involve a trip to the pharmacy and at home remedies while a smaller
percentage of only 28% showed individuals actually visit a practitioner
for advice. (
11)
Differences between Cold and Flu:
Although the differences in these two illnesses are distinct they may
be mistaken for one another if you are uncertain of their symptoms.
Typically a cold causes symptoms of cough, sore throat and nasal congestion. 200 known viruses are known to cause a cold (
11).
Cold viruses infect the nose and throat. Kids pass along germs easily
while playing and then touch their nose, eyes and even put things in
their mouths making them more susceptible to infection. Poor hygiene
practices such as the lack of washing their hands, sneezing and coughing
into the air and mindlessly touching anyone or anything are all easy
transit routes for viruses to spread. (
13)
Symptoms of the Flu:
Unlike a cold, infection from the flu affects the nose, throat, as
well as the lungs which makes it a more severe illness. Most commonly,
drops of bodily fluid from sneezing, coughing and even talking spread
the virus to others. (
32)
These symptoms are not present in every individual with the flu but
are a good guideline for you to determine if your sickness is just a
cold or if it is caused by a more serious flu illness. (
1,
11)
1) Eat Light:
As the old saying begs the question, should you eat a cold or starve a
cold? Breaking the cycle of consuming your standard meals is necessary
when your body should be focusing all of its energy
to healing. Every time you ingest food you are taking resources away
from your immune system from battling your illness. Instead it is
working to protect you from the bacteria, viruses and other harmful
agents that are present on your food.
The introduction of more bacteria to your gastrointestinal tract
poses a threat to your gut microflora and also your immune system.
Microbes in the gut interact or “communicate” with the immune system
signaling several immune responses to occur and therefore promote
inflammation and a longer recovery time. (
14)
If you are hungry while battling sickness, feed yourself foods that
will boost immune defenses. Prebiotic and probiotic rich foods like
Jerusalem artichokes, leeks, citrus fruits, as well as fermented dairy
and vegetables will feed your gut beneficial bacteria and encourage a
strong immune system.
2) Hydrate Well:
Your immune system relies on a well hydrated body to stimulate
detoxification pathways needed to stimulate enzymes and other biological
agents which help flush pathogens from the body and repair damaged
tissue (
3,
4).
Polyphenols found in lemons, apple cider vinegar, herbal teas and even
antioxidant rich broths repair the immune system and effectively destroy
microbes along the digestive tract.
To help alleviate sore throat and cough symptoms, try hydrating with some of these polyphenol rich liquids:
- Add a splash of apple cider vinegar to a cup of water or drink herbal teas.
- Herbal teas provide antioxidant support that help fight against
infection from viruses, bacteria and even fungus. Ginger tea boost
glutathione activity and helps reduce inflammation and Echinacea is a
long established Ayurveda herbal treatment that is loaded with
supportive vitamins and antioxidants. (5, 6)
- Sipping on lemon water throughout the day can heal and help you
combat the tiredness you are facing. Out of 300 participants in one
research group, the use of lemon was most popular to treat cold and flu
symptoms accounting for 73% of treatment uses (11).
- Bone broths prepared from pastured chicken or beef bones are high in
amino acids proline and glycine critical to inhibiting bacterial and
viral inflammation. They are also contain potassium and magnesium to calm muscle and joint pain.
3) Use Healing herbs:
Even through the constant advancements of modern medical medicine,
the use of medicinal plants has continued for their potent antioxidant
and anti-inflammatory effects on the human body (
10).
Herbs are a powerful weapon to eliminate contaminants in the body
including harmful microbes. European countries rely on commonly and
effectively treating cold and flu with the following plants and herbs: (
11)
- Purple Echinacea
- Blackcurrant
- Sea buckthorn fruits
- Raspberry
- Oregano
- Yarrow
- Chamomile
- Ginger
- Thyme
- Willow bark
- Garlic
- Onion
Garlic and onions are some of the best foods you can eat to combat
symptoms of cold and flu. Both of these flowering plants have long been
used since Egyptian practices for their medicinal treatment of viruses,
bacteria and fungus (
8).
Garlic and onions contain a compound called allicin that contains
sulfur and provides countless ways of healing the body from inflammation
(
9).
4) Diffuse Essential Oils:
An abundance of clinical data and scientific research exists
supporting the benefits of aromatherapy oils on the immune system and
their topical uses to treat symptoms of cold and flu. Essential oils
contain antiseptic compounds that combat bacteria, viruses, fungus and
reduce inflammation that can help you feel better sooner and heal
faster.
Studies support that essential oils
lower causes of inflammation and sickness by reducing anxiety,
promoting relaxation, regulating natural killer cell response and
lowering cortisol levels (
23,
24). Chemical messages are transmitted to the brain through inhalation and boost mood and can calm emotions (
25).
The following oils have medicinal benefits and therapeutic effects on
human health and can be indirectly inhaled via a room diffuser,
directly inhaled to alleviate sinus pressure, massaged onto the skin or applied to baths and lotions:
Eucalyptus oil: A useful agent to regulate
the immune response, eucalyptus oil supports cell-mediated pathways
including their innate attack on pathogens (
22).
Consider taking a steamy bath with a few drops of added eucalyptus
oil for natural decongestant relief to help you breathe better and sleep
sounder.
Frankincense oil: Frankincense contains
Boswellic acids that have the healing potential to stimulate the immune
system and serve as a potent anti-inflammatory compound (
26).
This oil is useful at reducing inflammation from stiff joints and sore
muscles as well as alleviating symptoms of a sore chest and throat.
Oregano oil: Plant extract from oregano has
been used as an alternative home remedy for its antibacterial
properties. Oregano oil inhibits the growth of E.coli and pneumonia
causing bacteria in clinical research (
27).
Thyme oil: When used in combination with
oregano oil, thyme oil exhibits powerful anti-inflammatory effects. When
consumed orally, the benefits of thyme oil exhibited significant
anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial responses in the gut increasing
cytokines to help fight infection. Traditionally, thyme essential oil is
used for antimicrobial, antiviral and antifungal properties and also
exhibits free-radical scavenging abilities. (
28)
Citrus oils: Citrus essential oils are
great to help you combat fatigue and alleviate those winter blues. Not
limited to lemons, limes and oranges, citrus essential oils also include
grapefruit, bergamot, and neroli. These oils are best inhaled for their
therapeutic properties to suppress abnormal cell cycle pathways that
cause tissue damage and regulates cytokine activity (
29).
Citrus oil compounds have been used in Ayurevic practices to prevent
symptoms of arthritis and rheumatism and can be equally beneficial to
helping your overcome a cold or flu. (
30)
Clove oil: Clove oil has tremendous abilities to
destroy bacteria that accumulate in the oral cavity creating
inflammation and free radical damage. Clove oil has been shown to also
effect multi-resistant strains of bacteria and exhibit strong free
radical activity (
31).
When battling infection with symptoms of a sore throat or cough, take
simple measures like brushing your teeth with an added drop of clove
oil to reap the benefits from this powerful astringent.
5) Sun Exposure:
The need for vitamin D to regulate the total health and healing
abilities of the human body has long been underestimated until recent
years. Vitamin D deficiency can be linked to any abnormal immune system complication. Vitamin D
is required for detoxification pathways and healthy immune stimulating
responses such as the generation of GcMAF, a type of protein responsible
for activating macrophage activity and repairing body tissue (
15).
Without adequate sunlight exposure, the body cannot produce the
active form of vitamin D3 called cholecalciferol. Ideally, 10,000 to
20,000 IU of vitamin D3 should be produced from penetrating UVB rays
beneath the epidermis. Sunbathing a minimum of 3 times a week is
recommended with the following guidelines based on skin color:
- Light Skin = 15-20 minutes per day
- Medium Skin = 25-30 minutes per day
- Dark Skin = 40-45 minutes per day
When unable to receive the recommended sun exposure, boost your
vitamin D levels with a supplement containing doses at 1,000 IU of
vitamin D3. For every 25 pounds of body weight, supplement 1,000 IU vitamin D3 daily and best taken with a healthy fat such as olive oil for maximum absorption.
6) Grounding:
While sick you are probably also feeling blue and could use a mood
booster. Grounding is a beneficial exercise that you can practice to
relieve symptoms of depression, increase your energy, reduce stress,
optimize healing and can be done while getting that necessary sun
exposure (
16).
Grounding consists of connecting your mind with your body while
transferring Earth’s natural electrical energy through your body to
reduce stress. Electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs) are present in the
world all around us of which we can naturally absorb from the ground by
walking barefoot on sand, dirt and grass. Getting in sync with these
natural rhythms has been shown to decrease cortisol levels which helps
remove interferences from the body’s immune system better allowing us to
heal (
17).
Practice grounding by reading a book beneath a tree, going for a
light walk around your yard while barefoot, and performing meditative
exercises outside such as yoga while also barefoot. You may also
consider eating grounding whole foods farmed from the ground like
radishes, sweet potatoes, beets and fruits.
The cliché that “chiropractic adds life to years and years to life”
is not just an old saying but stands on truth. Although the validity
behind the claim that it can add years to life is still debated,
research shows that receiving chiropractic care does boost the immune system
response and does improve the quality of life. Chiropractic care can
help prevent the frequency of sickness and help you recover from an
illness.
Spinal manipulation has been shown to increase polymorpho-nuclear neutrophils (
18).
These circulating blood cells are one of the first lines of defense
against infectious invaders. These leukocytes enhance the function of
immune cell responses that protect the body against destructive agents.
When inhibition is present along the spine, the nervous system is
unable to properly communicate with the immune system. Chiropractic care
helps to remove this interferences or adjust subluxation so that the
body is able to repair itself (
19).
8) Vitamin C supplementation:
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient key to promoting human health and
optimizing immune function in numerous ways. Vitamin C has been found to
increase NADPH pathways which are required by biological agents that
seek to destroy pathogens (
20).
It supports reactions which lead to both DNA and RNA synthesis,
stabilizes white blood cell count to better handle oxidative stress and
also prevents the depletion of glutathione from recycling old vitamin C (
21).
Some of the highest sources of vitamin C per serving are found in spinach, leeks, chives, kale and sweet bell peppers (
7). Other foods rich in vitamin C are lemons, limes and an abundance of green
vegetables which also contain low concentrations of sugar. Add these
vegetables to your bone broths and soups for a light and healthy meal to
fight infection while sick and juice lemons and limes into your water
frequently to maintain optimal hydration.
Try to avoid vitamin C supplements containing added sugars,
artificial colors and preservatives which can inhibit immune defenses.
Bonus– Zinc Supplementation:
While awake, supplement with 20mg zinc every 3 hours until you feel
better. This essential mineral is vital to supporting the immune system
but is largely depleted due to influences from our lifestyles. An
unhealthy diet
high in sugars and carbs inhibits zinc absorption as do phytic acids
found in grains and legumes. The overuse of medications or NSAIDS
(non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) also increases the deficiency of zinc in the body.
Zinc increases the performance of powerhouse antioxidant
systems like Sod (superoxide dismutase) that protects cells from viral
infection and damage. Zinc increase the immune response to defend
against pathogenic activity including viral replication and inhibits
oxidative damage. It is especially helpful at reducing inflammation in
the body by regulating the immune response to destructive activity. (
12)
In combination with the 8 ways listed above, consider the benefits of supplementing zinc into your diet
and you will be have fewer sick days in a year. Especially over the
cooler holiday months when you are more confined in doors with others,
add these foods to your meals for their zinc protection:
- 100% grass-fed beef
- Wild caught salmon
- Pasture raised chicken
- Cashews
- Almonds
- Spinach
- Asparagus
- Dark chocolate
- Grass-fed dairy
For faster results, use a high quality zinc supplementation. The
ideal form of zinc supplementation is zinc glycinate where zinc is
connected to one or two molecules of the amino acid glycine. Glycine
helps with liver detoxification and supports the immune system.
This information was written by Dr. David Jockers.
