Preventing Colds and Sore Throats

webglider

Dagobah Resident
Can anyone suggest which measures to take to prevent the occurrence of colds during the change of seasons?

I'm pretty health conscious, and I don't like to take over the counter medicines, but sometimes these colds are so debilitating and last so long that nothing alternative seems to work.
 
1) Alkaline/Acid blood equilibrium.

It's very easy to have your blood stream witch is too acid. And if too acid, virus or bacteria can enter with much ease in the body.

How to correct it ? Eat fruits and vegetables. There's a summary table of alkaline/acid food here : http://www.naturalhealthschool.com/acid-alkaline.html


2) Go to your osteopath and have a check for your vertebras. Bad alignment weakness the body.


3) Buy a silk scarf. If you get a cold wear it day and night. Very effective.


I can add 4) do not live in too warm room but be dressed so your body is correctly tuned to "winter" mode. Not always easy when one working.
 
Hey webglider
I use to suffer terribly from colds/sinusitis. So far the last few years I've been doing ok when it comes to not suffering from colds etc.
At the moment I'm trying the following anti-bacterial/anti-viral/anti-fungal combination.
Garlic oil (not odorless as it seems to loose its impact), oregano oil (strong stuff), cloves and niacin (best look up the flush you get).
I am no expert but have researched these things and try and pay close attention to how I'm feeling whenever I take any supplements, so its best to use your own discernment if you want to try these things. Its best not to over do these things too.

As to saw throats, I highly recommend colloidal silver (gargling a small amount). It clears it up within a minute or two (at least in my experience). Salt water is a less effective but still ok alternative to this (do not swallow it mind unless you want to be sick).

All in all however, I think the detox suggested by Laura in the Candida thread may be the best solution. Its probable (and again this is just an educated guess) that your immune system is already overloaded by something.
http://www.cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php?topic=9796.msg72816#msg72816
 
webglider said:
Can anyone suggest which measures to take to prevent the occurrence of colds during the change of seasons?

I'm pretty health conscious, and I don't like to take over the counter medicines, but sometimes these colds are so debilitating and last so long that nothing alternative seems to work.

The thread on Magnesium also mentions supplementing zinc for colds. :) Another 'cheap and cheerful' remedy is simple, if a bit weird fashion wise: wear gloves when in public areas. Years ago I read that during the Victorian era in London the incidence of colds etc went down, because most people in polite society wore gloves.

Sleep is also important to keep from being run down by stress.


fwiw

Gimpy
 
Gimpy said:
webglider said:
Can anyone suggest which measures to take to prevent the occurrence of colds during the change of seasons?

I'm pretty health conscious, and I don't like to take over the counter medicines, but sometimes these colds are so debilitating and last so long that nothing alternative seems to work.

The thread on Magnesium also mentions supplementing zinc for colds. :) Another 'cheap and cheerful' remedy is simple, if a bit weird fashion wise: wear gloves when in public areas. Years ago I read that during the Victorian era in London the incidence of colds etc went down, because most people in polite society wore gloves.

Sleep is also important to keep from being run down by stress.


fwiw

Gimpy

I've had a lot of success with zinc lozenges in stopping the development of colds. When I feel a soreness in my throat and a slight feverishness sucking on a zinc lozenge will usually make it go away without developing into a cold. If I am a little late and the cold starts to develop the lozenges seem to shorten the span of the symptoms to 2-3 days rather than the usual time of up to two weeks. There is sometimes a little stomach upset from the zinc but I see it as small price to pay to not have cold.

Mac
 
Just recently I learned, made and tested a remedy from my Polish friend who used to own health food shop here in Australia.
It's a kind of 'superantibiotic'
To prepare it you take:

1 kg of untreated, unheated honey
7 whole organic garlicks
7 organic lemons

- squeeze the juice from lemons,
- peal and mush garlick - you can do it in the blender with some of the juice from lemons (makes it easier to blend),
- combine the three ingredients together.
- let it sit for 6 weeks turning the jar(s) up side down once a day (or shake) to mix it.

After 6 weeks it's ready. Take one tablespoon a day (morning, evening - doesn't matter).
You can have two tablespoons a day after two weeks or when you are in need of antibiotic - just watch for your stomach reaction, it is quite powerful concoction.

Do it for 4 months. In time you probably won't need more than one tablespoon every second day (or even less).


What you can expect:
The person that gave me the recipe has been using it for years now (he is in his 60's). He says, that since he started using it he never had a single flu, cold or any other health problems. When he started using it, he experienced at the begining lots of coughing and spitting phlegm. That surprised him (he's a non-smoker) and worried because for a while he couldn't sing in his local choir. But that didn't last long - he cleared his lungs and noticed that breathing became easier and he generally felt better.
According to him this particular concoction's main action is clearing lung airways for better oxygenation. Anti-bacterial/viral/fungal properties are just 'positive side effects'.

My 'test subjects' were myself and two sick friends of mine.
I am experiencing increased coughing with phlegm spitting. I'm 53 y old and heavy smoker (first thing in the morning, by the time I finish with sott and forum I have 4-7 rollies and 2-3 cups of tea :cool2: ). Beside that not much difference - my health is generally good, probably due to the fact, that in years I haven't eaten anything from the packet or with numbers on it, I get row produce and make most of my food myself (I'm not 'religious' about that thou).

My second 'test subject' is female 23 y old with chronic bronchitis, smoker, malnourished, wheezing, sniffling, overstressed...
The antibiotic treatments she subjected herself to in last year and a half didn't bring much relief (I guess - due to negligent lifestyle).
It seems, that she is responding to honey/garlick/lemon concoction. She too started spitting more phlegm (big almost solid pieces) and voila ! she stopped wheezing ! and breathing became easier.
We actually spoke last night, she said that she stopped using the concoction in last 5-6 days (due to negligent lifestyle) and started wheezing again and so decided to use it regulary now.

Third person that tested it is female 19, that came down with flu. Seeing how good her friend (second 'test subject') responded to concoction she went for it (instead of pharmaceuticals). Response was excellent - she felt better within three days without any other medication.

So, I think that by using this concoction on regular basis you can prevent yourself from colds, flu's and probably lots of others diseases.
 
I am wondering how do you store it after preparing? Does it need to be put in the fridge, or just stored at room temperature? How long will this amount last?

Thanks for posting, as I am considering trying.
 
When I feel like I am becoming sick I take vitamin C. I usually get the chewables that I can tolerate, which don't have dairy or gluten, and keep eating them until my body tells me to stop. At that point I feel much better and soon I am usually healed. Chewable vitamin C is usually sugary, so if you are fighting candida it could be a problem. I sometimes use plain vitamin C powder but it is very sour and can upset your stomach if it is not buffered.
Also many times I use monolaurin when I feel sick. It is an extract from coconut that has strong antiviral properties. Here is some info on monolaurin from _http://www.drwardbond.com/monolaurin.html:

Monolaurin

Did you know that 20,000 people die each year from the flu? Primarily the elderly and those with weak immune systems. So what is this new natural remedy? Monolaurin. Monolaurin is an anti-microbial agent that protects the immune system from a range of infectious bacteria and viruses. It has been shown to protect newborn babies, whose immune systems are underdeveloped, from Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and other respiratory tract viruses.

One of the safest substances known to man is breast milk. This is where the monoglyceride of lauric acid is found. When an infant is born, it is totally dependent on food factors in the mother’s milk for immune protection. In analyzing the composition of human breast milk, medical researchers found lauric acid monoglycerides in high concentrations, which is what led them to study Monolaurin as an anti-viral agent. Monolaurin is also found in coconut oil, butter, and heavy cream; only recently has it been isolated and purified. Monolaurin is highly unusual in pharmacology to find chemicals that are toxic to lower forms of life such as bacteria, fungi, yeast and viruses, but non-toxic to man.

Dr. Jon Kabara found that the properties of Monolaurin determined the anti-infective action of lipids are related to their structure: free fatty acids and monoglycerides. The monoglycerides are active; diglycerides and triglycerides are inactive. Of the saturated fatty acids, lauric acid has greater antiviral activity than either caprylic acid, capric acid, or myristic acid. There are many microorganisms killed by the use of Monolaurin. Now, listen to this, in a study performed at the Center for Disease Control in Atlantaa, which focused on Monolaurin-tested strains of viruses, Monolaurin was able to solubulize the enveloped membrane of 14 human RNA and DNA viruses. These include the flu virus, RSV, Rubela, Newcastle’s Coronavirus, Herpes Simplex types 1 and 2, the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus. Monolaurin works by disintegrating the fat envelope coat of viruses. Data from these studies suggest that the loss of virus infectivity is associated with the Monolaurin entering into the virus. The virus absorbs the fatty acid for its won replication, but winds up destroying its own protective coat. Research has shown that enveloped viruses are inactivated by added fatty acids and monoglycerides in both human and bovine milk. Others have confirmed Kabara's original statements concerning the effectiveness of monolaurin.

Some of the viruses inactivated by these lipids are the measles virus, herpes simplex virus (HSV-1 and -2), herpes family members (HIV, hepatitis C, vesicular, stomatitis virus (VSV), visna virus, and cytomegalovirus (CMV). Many of the pathogenic organisms reported to be inactivated by these antimicrobial lipids are those know to be responsible for opportunistic infections in HIV -positive individuals. For example, concurrent infection with cytomegalovirus is recognized as a serious complication for HIV positive individuals.

Thus, it would appear imperative to investigate the practical aspects and the potential benefit of a nutritional supplement such as monolaurin for microbial infected individuals. Until now few nutritionists in mainstream nutrition community seem to have recognized the added benefit of antimicrobial lipids in the support of infected patients. These antimicrobial fatty acids and their derivatives are essentially nontoxic to man. According to the published research, lauric acid is one of the best inactivating fatty acids, and its monoglyceride is even more effective than the fatty acid alone.

Monolaurin does not appear to have an adverse effect on desirable gut bacteria, but rather on only potentially pathogenic microorganisms. For example, Isaacs et al (1991) reported no inactivation of the common Esherichiacoli or Salmonella enteritidis by monolaurin, but major inactivation of Hemophilus influenza, Staphylococcus epidermis and Group B gram positive streptococcus.

The potentially pathogenic bacteria inactivated by monolaurin include Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Groups A, streptococci-gram-positive organisms, and some gram-negative organisms (Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Helicobacter pylori).

Decreased growth of Staphylococcus aureus and decreased production of toxic shock syndrome toxin-l was shown with monolaurin. Monolaurin was 5000 times more inhibitory against Listeria monocytogenes than ethanol. In vitro monolaurin rapidly inactivate Helicobacter pylori. Of greater significance there appears to be very little development of resistance of the organism to the bactericidal effects of these natural antimicrobials.

A number of fungi, yeast, and protozoa are also inactivated or killed by monolaurin. The fungi include several species of ringworm. The yeast reported to be affected is Candida albicans The protozoan parasite Giardia lamblia is killed by monoglycerides from hydrolyzed human milk.

Chlamydia is inactivated by monolaurin. Hydrogels containing monocaprin/monolaurin are potent in vitro inactivators of sexually transmitted viruses such as HSV-2 and HIV-1 and bacteria such as Neisserian gonorrhea.

Monolaurin is not the type of nutritional supplement one has to take on a daily basis, but only when the need arises. If one has a fever or swollen lymph glands, it is always best to see a physician, but if you sense the early warnings signs of the flu, like sniffles, sore skin and perhaps a scratchy throat, Monolaurin may offer the first line of defense.

Anti-biotic resistance results from the over-use of prescription drugs, which is one of the biggest problems facing the medical community today. Resistance is cumulative and comes in part from antibiotics in our food supply. That’s why it’s important to consider starting with nutritional remedies, such as Monolaurin first. Another problem in our society is the increase in the Herpes Simplex virus. Herpes is one of the most chronic viruses, occurring in both oral and genital forms. It is also highly contagious and resistant to conventional drug therapy. I recommend taking 6 capsules of Monolaurin when one has a flare up and 2 capsules as a maintanence dose during non-flare up periods. Sometimes the herpes virus can be activated by Monolaurin, but then it kills it. This is like stirring up an ant bed, so you can kill more ants.

Similar protocols have been used with the Epstein Barr virus, which closely resembles the herpes virus. Epstein Barr may be responsible for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and possibly Multiple Sclerosis. To help speed recovery from bacterial infections such as chlamydia and gonorrhea. Monolaurin has been shown to have anti-chlamydia and anti-gonorrhea effects in laboratory experiments involving cells. However, the effect of monolaurin in humans with these bacterial infections has not been documented in published studies.

So if you are dealing with herpes, Epstein Barr virus, Chronic Fatigue, H. pylori or maybe Chlamydia, you should give the Monolaurin a try. Monolaurin is available at Nutritional Living and one of the great things about it is, it’s very inexpensive.

Anytime we are using natural and non-natural agents to kill bacteria or viruses in our body. It is a good idea to use a good probiotic. A probiotic is a supplement which contains Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum, which are needed to create a healthy balance in the intestinal tract. A probiotic can help prevent yeast overgrowth, which can lead to thyroid problems, a loss of energy, depression, dry skin, mood swings, chronic vaginal yeast infections, etc.

Probiotics are used to treat chronic yeast infections, balance the good bacteria levels in the colon during antibiotic therapy.

The beneficial properties L. acidophilus based on research documented in internationally reputable, refereed journals are as follows: Production of enzymes such as proteases, which help digest proteins, and lipases, to digest fat. Production of B vitamins which are biocatalysts in food digestion, particularly folic acid and B12. Improvement of the digestibility of food for animals. Production of the natural antibiotic Acidophilin which has been patented, and Bulgarican has been produced from L. bulgaricus.

Inhibition of the growth of 23 toxic producing microorganisms. Certain yogurt cultures (L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus) appear to possess great potential as Anticarcinogenic and anti-tumor properties.

Help in the alleviation of lactose intolerance caused by the deficiency of the enzyme lactase. Such L. acidophilus cultures produce significant quantities of lactase, which may help digest lactose more fully and thereby reduce the possibility of bad breath, bloating, gas formation and stomach cramps. Additional research with Lactobacilli from this laboratory as well as by other scientists has revealed that:

L. acidophilus, by virtue of their inhibiting gastrointestinal- and uro-pathogens, may help reduce the occurrence of diarrhea and urinary & vaginal infection. L. acidophilus helps enhance calcium metabolism and thus may be related to their hypocholesteremic and anticarcinogenic effect. L. acidophilus helps reduce serum cholesterol levels. L. acidophilus helps alleviate dermatitis and other skin disorders by modifying and improving gastrointestinal microbial balance.

So if are taking antibiotics on a regular basis, or birth control pills or hormonal replacement therapy, you need to be taking probiotic each and everyday.
 
gwb1995 said:
I am wondering how do you store it after preparing? Does it need to be put in the fridge, or just stored at room temperature? How long will this amount last?

Thanks for posting, as I am considering trying.

According to this friend of mine, you don't need to store it in the fridge. Since all three ingredients are anti-bacteria/virus/fungi it will last for years in closed jars.
I've put mine in smaller (200 g) jars and one lasted for about 3 weeks. I gave away the rest and am going to make at least few liters of it now, which should last for very long (per one person that is - I tend to give this things away :) )
 
OzRich said:
- squeeze the juice from lemons,
- peal and mush garlick - you can do it in the blender with some of the juice from lemons (makes it easier to blend),
- combine the three ingredients together.
- let it sit for 6 weeks turning the jar(s) up side down once a day (or shake) to mix it.

After 6 weeks it's ready.

OzRich, does it necessarily have to be 6 weeks? Can I do it now for a present cold? Does the lack of those 6 weeks decreases its effectiveness?

Ellipse said:
2) Go to your osteopath and have a check for your vertebras. Bad alignment weakness the body.

I have scoliosis :-/
 
A couple of remedies for sinus infections that worked well for me the other year, when I had sinus troubles:

1) Fresh ginger compress\poultice. Black radish also works very well (I couldn't get the radish but ginger as available, in other parts of the world the opposite may be true).

This treatment is best done twice a day, one before bedtime and another in the morning before getting up, for 7-10 days. Use it carefully as it is powerful stuff. You will need ginger (or the black radish), two or three small pieces of cheese cloth, and a thick petroleum jelly-type cream for your face (vaseline, A&D ointment or Elisabeth Arden 8 hour cream work well)

Grate a small amount (a square inch-inch and a half) of fresh raw ginger. Form into three elongated pancake-like shapes -- two to be applied to the maxillary sinuses on the sides of the nose, and the third, a bigger one, to go on the forehead, over the frontal sinuses.

Apply a decent layer of cream over the skin where the compress will go, to protect it. Lay down and apply the compresses over the sinus areas. Be careful so that the ginger juice doesn't get into your eyes (if this were to happen, run to the bathroom and rinse your eyes well). It's best to have an alarm clock or something set up to signal 15-20 min (don't keep it on longer than that). The compresses will first feel cool and then very hot. When done, wipe your face with a wet washcloth (again, with the away-from-the-eyes motion), and either go to sleep right away or rest for a few minutes before getting up. Your skin may be red at first but that should go away soon.

There are variations of these treatment that use clothes dipped into ginger tea, they are milder and may be easier to do. The reason why this works is that ginger, or black radish, increases blood flow in the area which helps the body fight the infection.

I did this for an actual sinus infection (headaches, fever, fullness and pain in the sinuses, thick yellow discharge -- in other words, more than just a cold), and it worked for me, in combination with

2) Honey nose drops: just take some raw, unheated local honey, apply it to a small cotton ball (or make a thin long piece of cotton out of a cotton ball, so that it fits your nostril better), and stick it into your nose while laying down, for 20-30 min. There even was an SOTT article saying that this has been scientifically proven to work against sinus infections ;)
 
a question, I got a bacteriel troat infection, swallowing hurts, my ear hurts in this process of swallowing as well,

now my doctor gave me anti-biotics, which I am supposed to use for a week from today. (the anti-biotic is called Broxil - 500mg),

What are my options here?

Trow the anti-biotics away and start on the ascorbic acid vitamine c? ( 3 teaspoons a day)
 
Hi Bo,

I only have a moment, so I'll reply to your post now. Dr. Mercola mentions putting a few drops of hydrogen peroxide in the ears when starting to feel sick. I've noticed that it helps.

I lay on my side and have a small towel handy. I fill the cap of the peroxide bottle about 1/4 full and dump it into the ear that is up. I lay there and let it fizzle until the sound stops (about 10 min) Then I turn over, let it pour out onto the towel and repeat the procedure on the other side. This seems to work at the onset of a cold, but I'm not sure if you're too far along to help it.

I'll post more later if what I've got in mind doesn't already get covered in the mean time.

Good health,
Tree
 
Chamomile, marjoram and ginger tea are ideal. Tea is also soothing for headaches and has an overall relaxing effect on your body. Add a little lemon and honey for more taste and sweetness.
Gargle with warm salt water. Use a saline nasal spray. Use a Netti pot.
Suck on lozenges. This will sooth your irritated throat.
Drink plenty of clear liquids during the day, such as water, tea, broth and fruit juices. If you have a fever, drinking lots of fluids will also help you bring the fever down. Be sure to drink fluids that are neither too hot nor too cold as extreme temperatures may only worsen your condition.
Get as much rest as you can.
Garlic has an anti bacterial effect that will help you get rid of an infection.
Vitamin C is always a good idea. Laura has given us detailed information on detoxing our bodies. I haven't had more than a few sniffles since I started the supplements which was about a year ago.
Chicken soup always makes me feel better.
I hope you feel better soon.
 
Tree said:
Hi Bo,

I only have a moment, so I'll reply to your post now. Dr. Mercola mentions putting a few drops of hydrogen peroxide in the ears when starting to feel sick. I've noticed that it helps.

I lay on my side and have a small towel handy. I fill the cap of the peroxide bottle about 1/4 full and dump it into the ear that is up. I lay there and let it fizzle until the sound stops (about 10 min) Then I turn over, let it pour out onto the towel and repeat the procedure on the other side. This seems to work at the onset of a cold, but I'm not sure if you're too far along to help it.

I'll post more later if what I've got in mind doesn't already get covered in the mean time.

Good health,
Tree

Hi tree, thanks for the reply, the doctor looked in my mouth and said I had a bacteriel infection, and gave me a high dose of the anti-biotics, I don't feel sick or anything it's only that swallowing is painfull, eating food or drinking is painfull at this moment , it feels like the pain comes from the left side of my troat, and it's only my left ear which slightly hurts when I try to swallow, I don't feel any pain at the right side.

This infection started Saturday, 2 days ago.

I will take a look into the hydrogen peroxide, it looks interesting.

Anya:
Chamomile, marjoram and ginger tea are ideal. Tea is also soothing for headaches and has an overall relaxing effect on your body. Add a little lemon and honey for more taste and sweetness.
Gargle with warm salt water. Use a saline nasal spray. Use a Netti pot.
Suck on lozenges. This will sooth your irritated throat.
Drink plenty of clear liquids during the day, such as water, tea, broth and fruit juices. If you have a fever, drinking lots of fluids will also help you bring the fever down. Be sure to drink fluids that are neither too hot nor too cold as extreme temperatures may only worsen your condition.
Get as much rest as you can.
Garlic has an anti bacterial effect that will help you get rid of an infection.
Vitamin C is always a good idea. Laura has given us detailed information on detoxing our bodies. I haven't had more than a few sniffles since I started the supplements which was about a year ago.
Chicken soup always makes me feel better.
I hope you feel better soon.

I don't have a fever or anything it's only my throat where it feels like some major war is going on(swallowing is really painfull), I am already doing the gargle with warm salt water, it is indeed effective, drinking plenty of water is what I am doing as well, seems to help as well, I will add garlic to my food as well then.

Thank you anya.
 
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