Cold/Flu Remedies

March 29th, 2013

Cold and flu season appears to be winding down, but I wanted to give you guys a few tips and talk about a couple supplements that may be helpful to you in the future.

If you work in an office with a large number of employees or visit the gym regularly during cold/flu season, the chances of you contracting one or the other is fairly high. Remember to wash your hands frequently and avoid prolonged exposure to people who exhibit symptoms. Should you come down with a cold or flu, do your co-workers and fellow gym members a favor and take a few days off!

Certain supplements have shown to be effective at shortening the length or decreasing the intensity of cold and flu symptoms. Let me introduce you to a few that I use:

  • Zinc Lozenges – These lay down a coating of zinc that makes it harder for viruses to bind to cells and replicate, which in turn can prevent and reduce the span of a cold. Look for sugar-free varieties, as those which contain sugar decrease zinc’s binding efficiency!
  • Black Elderberry (Sambucol) – This syrup has been shown to be effective mostly for reducing the severity of flu symptoms and shortening it’s duration. Bonus fact, it actually tastes pretty good.
  • Andrographis – This herb acts as an immune booster and has been demonstrated to reduce the symptoms and duration of the common cold when taken within three days of the onset of symptoms. It is also effective at preventing cold when taken regularly in smaller doses.

Please make sure to check with your physician, doctor of chiropractic, or pharmacist before taking any of these supplements as they may be contraindicated with certain diseases or concurrent medications.

Call the office if you’d like to know where you can pick any of these up, because they are nice to have around even if you don’t currently have a cold or flu. Remember, getting adjusted when you have a cold or the flu can also help manage some of the symptoms as well!