Cure my cold, honey! (free-stock-photos.com)
The temperature is dropping, the mittens have been taken down from the top shelf, and the heat is cranking. And you know what that means? Grab the box of tissues, ‘cause a cold may be coming on.
Whether you call it the sniffles or being stuffed up, no one looks forward to being unable to breath through their nose and having no choice but to sleep with their mouth open. (And forget about how disgusting cold water tastes, never mind actual food.)
Since living in a plastic bubble isn’t an option, there’s a very good chance you’ll catch a cold this season. (It’s not called the common cold for nothing!) And while your world doesn’t need to come to a screeching halt, it can leave you feeling sluggish and out-of-sorts.
So what else can you do besides down a carton of orange juice? Below are three simple-yet-effective remedies from top doctors around the country on how you can stop the sneezing:
Chop some garlic: “My favorite remedy is eating raw, freshly chopped garlic,” states Victoria Maizes, MD, Executive Director, Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. “Garlic has been studied and in one trial, subjects who took garlic supplements for three months had fewer colds than the placebo group.” Keep in mind that cooking the garlic is a no-no. “That inactivates the anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties,” adds Dr. Maizes.
Get sweet on honey: “Honey is well known for its antimicrobial action when applied to wounds and burns, and studies have also shown that it can work as well as medication for cold and flu symptoms,” states Mark Moyad, MD, Phil F. Jenkins Director of Preventive & Alternative Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center. He also advises to sweeten your water or tea with one to two teaspoons each day of the darker-colored honey since it contains higher levels of disease-fighting ingredients.
Flush it out: “I ward off and resolve colds by irrigating the sinuses out with salt water using a neti pot,” says Dr. Jordan S. Josephson, Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist at Lennox Hospital in New York City and author of Sinus Relief Now (Perigee Trade, 2006). These special pots can be purchased online (like on Amazon.com) and patients are advised to follow the directions included in the packaging.
Comments
The modern neti, NASOPURE makes the flushing easy and feels much better without the twisting and bending of the neck. even 2 yr old can manage this.
NATURALLY SAFE COLD REMEDY CHALLENGES EFFECTIVENESS OF
OVER-THE-COUNTER COLD MEDICATIONS
--U.S. Families Spend Over $3 Billion Each Year on OTC Cold Remedies--
NEW YORK, NY (November 11, 2008) – America is about to be hit with runny noses, sore throats and coughs, but recently a new, naturally safe solution has been introduced in the U.S. that is clinically proven to shorten the duration and reduce the severity of the common cold.
Zucol, a naturally-safe cold remedy produced by German pharmaceutical company, Schwabe, uses as its active ingredient an extract of pelargonium sidoides, which is one of the most researched plant-based pharmaceutical ingredients. Grown in South Africa, pelargonium has been used for generations as a remedy throughout Europe and Africa. The benefits of pelargonium have been featured in several U.S. medical journals including the American Family Physician and The Journal of Family Practice.
“For hundreds of years African Zulu tribes have used pelargonium sidoides preparations to treat coughs and upper respiratory symptoms, and it is the top-selling active ingredient for upper respiratory tract infections sold in Germany and most of Europe. It was only a matter of time that Zucol would arrive in the United States,” said David Gumner, Vice President Mass Market at Nature’s Way, Schwabe’s U.S. subsidiary. “Extensive clinical research has proven the safety and efficacy of pelargonium, which justifies its use to reduce the need for typical OTC medications that merely mask symptoms of the common cold.”
Zucol is produced according to exacting FDA-drug standards and is approved in the U.S. for the treatment of colds and upper respiratory tract infections related to the common cold.
Taken at the earliest signs of a cold, Zucol has been proven to end cold symptoms sooner and reduce the likelihood of secondary infections. The natural active ingredient in Zucol has been the subject of 18 published clinical studies involving over 2,500 patients. These studies concluded that cold sufferers were able to return to their normal routines a full two days faster than those who simply treated their symptoms with OTC medications. Pelargonium sidoides halted the development of symptoms related to the common cold and patients felt better faster without experiencing the worst cold symptoms.
Despite the benefits of Zucol, American families will still spend more than $3 billion annually on cold remedies, and will miss approximately 22 million school days, according to Information Resources, Inc. and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, respectively.
“Zucol is powerful medicine to fight colds, and this plant-based extract has been studied extensively and found to be safe for children. In Germany, it is prescribed to adults of all ages and children beginning at two years of age - though we recommend that when used for children younger than six, you consult your family doctor,” said Dr. David Riley, MD, Clinical Associate Professor, University of New Mexico Medical School and Founder of the Integrative Medicine Institute. “With all of the recent warnings from the FDA about conventional cough and cold medications in children, it seems prudent to use a safe and effective alternative.”
Unlike competing zinc-based products, Zucol is a gentle, quick-dissolve lozenge, which should be taken three-times-a-day for six full days. The product will not irritate membranes, upset the stomach or leave a lingering unpleasant taste in the mouth. And with no known drug interactions, Zucol helps eliminate unnecessary worry when taken with other remedies or medicines. Like any medication, Zucol is only effective if used as directed.
Zucol will be available nationwide in January at Walgreens and is currently available in all Rite Aid, Duane Reade, Meijer Stores, and regional drug stores and pharmacies across the US.
About Schwabe Pharmaceuticals
Schwabe Pharmaceuticals, based in Karlsruhe Germany, is a leading phyto-pharmaceutical company and purveyor of leading OTC medicines in Germany and worldwide. Schwabe leads in the research, development and commercialization of the most effective plant-based remedies. As a vertically integrated pharmaceutical company, Schwabe carefully controls the manufacturing process from growing and harvesting the plants to the production and finished goods. Schwabe products are sold in over 60 countries worldwide
About Nature’s Way
Nature’s Way was founded in 1968 and has improved the lives of millions of consumers by bringing the healing power of nature through herbal formulations. Nature’s Way is headquartered in Springville, Utah and its products are sold throughout the US.
For more information on Zucol, please log onto Zucol.com.
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There are a variety of neti pots now available in materials from ceramic, to plastic to stainless steel and designs ranging from squeeze bottles to traditional "tea pot" style to the more modern ergonomically shapes. See our website www.rhinohorn.net for an instructional video
I too use raw garlic regularly and add a chopped clove to cheese on toast (remember not to cook the garlic - add it after the cheese on toast is cooked or grilled) for my daughter and husband. They do not care for the taste of raw garlic and they will happily eat it. Remember to start with a small amount to begin with as it can make you a bit nauseous if you are not used to it - build up to a clove a day as needed. Cheap and effective!
I remember my grandfather using the salt flush to great benefit! All good suggestions, doctor.
By the way, keeping your ears warm not only makes your whole body more comfortable, but I've found it makes a tremendous difference in my resistance to colds.
But I hate wearing anything on my head (okay, mostly I don't want to mess up my hair, I'll admit it) Anyway, I found an absolutely wonderful product which I use daily and I have given many, many pairs of as Christmas gifts - Ear Mitts BANDLESS ear muffs!
The best place I've found to buy them is from a Teen Entrepreneur I saw on KTVB-NBC. His name is Matthew Shriner and his website is MittsForYourEars.com
I highly recommend keeping your ears comfortable as another way to ward off winter colds! Oh, and my granddaughter hasn't had a winter ear infection since she started wearing these Ear Mitts!
Another good way to ward off colds, is to put 1/3 teaspoon of ground ginger into cup of either cold or hot water twice a day and drink it. Ginger has been said to kill influenza virus. You can also buy whole ginger out pieces into a bottle of water and shake and use this during the day for your periodic drinks of water. The amount of Ginger you use is synchronized to your tolerance of the taste strength. Whole ginger doesn't burn as much when you drink water you have it soaking in. Ground ginger amount needs to be adjusted to your tolerance. Ground ginger also is more economical as you can keep on your shelf for longer time. You can get ground ginger at a local 99 cent store. Whole ginger has lesser life span of storage.
Another great thing to do to fight colds, and flue infections is to sprinkle some Tumeric into your soups, or beaten eggs before cooking, or into grits (if you make them). Tumeric is a known anti-inflammatory, so it will help to keep infections at bay. I even make a paste of Tumeric and water to put on any burns or swelling on fingers that can occur doing daily house chores. Again you can get Tumeric at 99 cent stores in their spice shelves.
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