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Flu and Colds – How to protect yourself
Our mothers were not wrong when they told us that we will ‘catch a cold’ if we don’t dress warmly enough. Rhinoviruses that cause common colds grow and multply better at temperatures below normal body temperatures (35 degrees celcius instead of normal 37 degrees). If you don’t dress warmly enough your bits that stick out like hands, feet and nose will get cold and hey presto – you get a cold!
We all should also wash our hands more often and touch our faces less often. Cold and flu viruses can spread through droplets in the air we inhale whan someone sneezes or coughs, but more often than not viruses would get access to our nasal passages and eyes when a sick person touches their nose, then a railing/ table etc, which we touch in turn. The average person touches their face about 3.6 times per hour which means we autoinnoculate ourselves with viruses and bactaria constantly (http://www.livescience.com/25086-stop-touching-yourself-flu-researchers-say.html).
Vitamin D is an essential nutient to keep your immune system intact. It is obtained from foods such as eggs and dairy in small quantities, but by far the greatest amount is manufactured when your skin is exposed to sunlight. In South Africa we are blessed with more sunlight than most countries, but it has been found that we should supplement in the winter months to prevent a deficiency (http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-d-deficiency-risk/). Vitamin D not only helps boost your immune system, but it also prevents winter depression (Seasonal Affective Disorder), regulates blood insulin (which reduces belly fat) and prevents cancer. Adults should take upwords of 5000iu’s per day and kids 1000iu’s per day June through August.
Get enough sleep and manage stress levels. Your body produces cortisol when you are stressed. Cortisol suppresses your immune system, so if the stress continues for too long you can end up with a cold. Take a Vitamin B complex supplement and Magnesium mornings to reduce cortisol production and to help you sleep at night. Another way to reduce cortisol levels is to exercise 3 or more times a week.
A monthly injection of a Gripheel, Engystol and Echinacea comp mixture (aka ‘The Homeopathic Flu Prevention Injection) helps your immune system target cold and flu viruses. This mixture can be injected at the first signs of a cold or flu to drastically reduce the duration of symptoms.
The herb Andrographis can stop a cold if taken early on. It is often called Indian Echinacea, but is not related to the more well known Echinacea. Take 2000mg three times daily for best results. Take for a maximum of 5 days before taking a break for a week.
Stay Well!
Dr Jana
