The seasonal cold can start with a nagging scratchy throat or a bothersome sniffle. It seems to come around the same time every year and muck up our weekend plans and lay us up for days and even weeks. Good news, there are some things you can do to avoid getting sick in the first place or shorten the duration of the cold. These tips will help you fend off seasonal flu, colds, and minor infections.
Immune Boosting Supplements and Support
1. Vitamin D3 – 1,000-5,000IU daily anywhere from 30 to 90 days. It plays a critical role in the immune system. Has a great affinity and very protective of the lungs.
2. Vitamin A – 10,000 daily for 45 to 90 days, especially during the cold/flu season. Great anti-oxidant and anti-infective vitamin, it is required for normal immune system functioning.
3. Zinc – 30- 50 mg once daily with small amount of food. This dose is safe to be continued for 1-2 weeks without depleting copper stores.
4. Probiotic – ideally a minimum of 25 billion combined with lactobacillus and bifidobacteria. A hearty immune system starts in the gut. Supporting the microbiome with healthy bacteria is foundational to a healthy working immune system.
5. Super BioVegetarian by Priority One – 2 caps daily starting at Halloween through the New Year. Contains broad range of immune boosting vitamins, herbs and mushrooms. This all-in-one anti-microbial, -viral, -fungal product is my number one recommended “go-to” each cold/flu season therapy.
At First Sign
1. Avoid all white sugar and dairy.
2. Eat light – Bone broths, herbal teas, or steamed veggies.
3. Drink plenty of fluids. At a minimum, drink half your body weight in ounces. At onset or during a cold, try to increase fluids by 20%.
4. Vitamin C and Bioflavonoids – 1,000-2,000mg daily. Taken at the onset of a cold, 4-6 grams of this anti-oxidant combination can help to shorten the duration of the common cold.
5. Vitamin A – High dose. 50,000-100,000IU for 3-5 days then stop. Vitamin A is fat-soluble vitamin with a high affinity to accumulate in tissues and slow exit, which can make toxic when taking long-term at high doses. Just be sure to use the high-dose immune boosting kick for the very short recommended period of time to help squelch a cold and get you feeling better fast!
At-Home Upper Respiratory Support Therapies
Constitutional hydrotherapy or Wet Sock Therapy. Use of wet sock therapy will help boost immune system by increasing WBC count, thus supporting and encouraging immune response and help to shorten the duration of a cold.
Wet Sock Therapy*
Supplies:
1 pair white thin cotton socks
1 pair thick wool socks
Warm bath or warm footbath
Directions:
- Take a pair of cotton socks and soak them completely with room temperature water. Be sure to wring the socks out thoroughly so they do not drip.
- Warm your feet first. This is very important, as the treatment will not be as effective and could counteract the benefits, if your feet are not warmed first. Soak feet in warm water for at least 5-10 minutes or take a warm bath for 10-15 minutes.
- Dry off completely.
- Avoid getting chilled.
- Place wet socks on feet. Cover with thick wool socks (or two pairs of cotton socks). Go directly to bed and sleep well covered. Keep the socks on overnight. You will find that the wet cotton socks will be dry in the morning.
Effects of the Wet Sock Treatment: This treatment increases circulation and decrease congestion in the upper respiratory passages, head, and throat. It also helps to improve sleep, which in turn helps to increase the healing response time during acute infection.
*Wet Sock Therapy is not recommended for individuals with weakened constitution and cold intolerance to hands and feet.