The cold and flu season is upon us. Are you prepared? Many of us are very familiar with the symptoms of cold and flu: runny or stuffy nose, achy body, fatigue. Many times these symptoms knock us off our feet and right into bed. By using some preventative tactics, we can prepare our bodies for the fight against cold and flu viruses and avoid getting sick. Sometimes, there is nothing that we can do to win that battle, but we can use many natural means to support our body’s defense in dealing with the illness at hand. Your immune system is the primary component of your body’s natural defenses against illness and disease. This powerfully important system needs your conscious support in order to function at its best, whether preventing an illness from taking hold or dealing with one once it has the upper hand. You can take care of your immune system by eating well, getting plenty of rest, exercising regularly, and managing your stress. By focusing on these aspects of your life, you can significantly improve your body’s ability to deal with illness. This is especially true in the case of colds and flu. That season is right around the corner and you can start taking steps now to stay well. Below are some simple ways that you can use to take care of yourself.
Supporting Your Body: Lifestyle Change
The cornerstone of preventing any type of illness is consciously choosing a lifestyle that supports your body in being healthy and well. We have all heard these preventative steps many times: get adequate rest, eat a balanced diet, and get some exercise. The reason these are the cornerstones of preventative health care is simple: they promote the body’s systems in being healthy and strong as well as support the body in healing itself naturally. Adequate rest is an important component of a preventative health plan because it is during this time the body can focus on healing itself. It is during REM, the deepest part of sleep, that powerful immune enhancing factors are released to do their work. Most Americans do not get adequate sleep. In general, the average adult needs seven to eight hours of sleep to be fully rested. Cutting the time spent in REM can impair optimal function of the immune system and reduce the chance of your body fending off a cold or flu bug when you are exposed to one.
The foods you consume in your diet also have a major impact on the function of your body’s defense system. The old saying is: you are what you eat! In the case of the immune system, this is also true. Adequate intake of the body’s essential nutrients, like vitamins, minerals, protein, and fat, will help stave off the illness. If the body is deficient in key vitamins (vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamins B6 and B12) or minerals (iron, zinc, selenium), the function of the immune system will be drastically impaired. It is important to understand that it is not necessary to go to the other extreme by consuming huge amounts of these vitamins and minerals. First of all, this could lead to toxicity in certain vitamins and minerals. Secondly, the body can only use so much of any particular vitamin or mineral. Vitamin E may be the exception here because research has shown that consuming amounts above the recommended daily allowance (60IU up to 200IU) benefits immune function, especially in adults above the age of sixty-five. Therefore, eating a well balanced diet combined with a multi-vitamin (maybe a little extra vitamin E) may be the best way to supply your body with its needs. By providing the body its essential building blocks, you enable the immune system to build its defenses to protect against the most vicious of cold and flu viruses.
Regular exercise is also an important factor but for different reasons than diet and sleep. At this time, it is not believed that exercise improves immune function in healthy adults (eighteen to sixty-five years old). However, exercise does appear to benefit the immune systems of older adults (over sixty-five years old). The primary role of exercise in a planned prevention program is to promote circulation of the immune system’s components throughout the body. With increased blood flow throughout the body, the immune system has a greater chance of finding illness and dealing with it rather than just waiting for the illness to spread before beginning to mount its defense. This potentially will allow your immune system to be more efficient in eliminating unwanted guests and reduce the chance that you would get sick in the first place.
Mental/emotional stress is the number one controllable factor that can lead to impaired immune function. During times of stress, your body mobilizes its forces to protect against illness and any other threat to your well-being. This physiological response serves its purpose well but when experienced chronically it can be extremely detrimental. Each time you feel stressed by life experiences it takes away from your body’s resources. Over time, this pool of natural resources can be drained which can result in lowered immunity against illness. Therefore, it is essential that we learn to deal with our mental and emotional stressors more effectively so that our immune system is not impaired. In doing so, the likelihood of getting sick is reduced substantially, and we can really enjoy our lives more fully. Some techniques that may help to alleviate stress include: meditation, visualization, deep breathing, and journaling. By incorporating preventative measures, you will support your immune system in functioning at its best. However, this may not always be effective in preventing every cold or flu bug from gaining a grasp. If you do get sick, it is important that you know what your body is up against to deal with it most effectively.
Colds vs. Flu: Knowing the Difference
For many of us, being sick is being sick. Yet there are distinct differences between colds and flu. Generally speaking, colds are caused by viruses that infect the nasal passages, sinuses, and throat. For the most part, our immune system deals very well with elimination of these unwanted guests with the end result being that we don’t catch a cold. However, when the cold virus is too strong, our immune system is weak, or a combination of the two, that virus will take hold and we will experience the symptoms of a cold. We all know these symptoms too well: fatigue, low-grade fever, cough, and congestion. As the cold progresses, the nasal discharge gets thicker but the other symptoms diminish. Generally speaking, a cold should last no more than three or four days when an individual’s immune system is healthy. The flu (short for influenza) is similar to a cold because it is also caused by a virus, but the symptoms are much different. They include: fatigue, high grade fever (100°-104°), muscle ache, joint pain, headache, and cough. The symptoms of flu are much more severe than those of a cold. In essence, the flu will knock you off your feet for a couple days whereas you may be able to deal with a cold while still going through your daily routine. Regardless of whether you have caught a cold or flu bug, there are many ways for you to support your body’s immune system in dealing with the illness naturally.
Using Nutritional Supplements
The immune system can be supported by a number of different means. Some of the ways to support your immune system in fighting a virus are to get adequate rest (bed rest is best), drink large amounts of fluid (preferably vegetable juices diluted with water, soups, and herbal teas), and avoid sugar (less than fifty grams per day). These methods will help your immune system do the job faster and more effectively. Another method that supports your body is the use of nutrition supplements. Nutritional supplementation with vitamins, minerals, and herbs when an illness occurs is a great way to help your body deal with that nasty virus. It is important to note that this means of healing does not necessarily reduce the severity of the symptoms, as some of the over-the-counter drugs do, but usually results in a shorter period of illness. Most natural therapies for colds and flu assist the body as it combats the illness rather than suppress the symptoms. There are four primary nutrition supplements that are recommended to support your immune system in fighting an infection from a cold or flu virus. These include: vitamin C, zinc, vitamin A or beta carotene, and echinacea.
Vitamin C: Probably the most commonly known nutritional supplement used for colds and flu is vitamin C. This vitamin has been shown to be both antiviral and antibacterial which means that it kills the microorganisms on contact. However, the main effect vitamin C has is to enhance immune system function. Vitamin C has been shown to decrease the duration of the illness and/or reduce the severity of the symptoms. Although there may be other nutrition supplements that are effective with a cold or flu, this supplement has the most scientific support. It is recommended that 500-1000 mg be taken every two hours. The best Vitamin C supplements are those that contain bioflavonoids (1000 mg of mixed bioflavonoids/day) and are buffered in order to prevent excessive gas and/or diarrhea.
Zinc: This mineral has been shown in numerous scientific studies to reduce the severity and duration of colds. In lozenge form, zinc also provides relief from sore throats that are associated with colds and flu. Zinc supports the immune system in many ways and is also an antiviral. It is recommended that 15 to 25 mg of elemental zinc be used every two hours. At the onset of symptoms, a double dose should be used. With lozenges, use a supplement that has glycine as a sweetener because sorbitol, mannitol, and citric acid reduce zinc’s effectiveness. Supplementation with zinc at the suggested levels is not recommended beyond seven days because it may actually impair immune function.
Vitamin A/beta carotene: Short-term, high doses of vitamin A or beta carotene have been shown to enhance immune function. Although similar, these two compounds act synergistically with one another but also work independently. Vitamin A supports the body’s natural defense by enhancing and/or stimulating many immune processes. In addition, it is also an antiviral. Beta carotene enhances the immune system’s function as well but does so independently of vitamin A. It is suggested that 15,000-25,000 IU of vitamin A be taken each day for up to four days (Warning: Do not follow this recommendation if you are pregnant or a sexually active woman not using birth control) and 50,000-100,000 IU of beta carotene per day.
Echinacea: There are many herbs that make claims to enhance immune system function. By far, Echinacea has the most scientific documentation of its effectiveness. Two forms of this herb have been shown to be effective in reducing the symptoms of colds and flu: Echinacea augustfolia and Echinacea purpurea. Echinacea not only enhances immune function but also is an antiviral and antibacterial agent. It is recommended that you take Echinacea three times each day in one of the following ways: dried root (.5-1 gram), the freeze-dried plant (325-650 mg), a tincture in a ratio of 1:5 (2-4 ml), a fluid extract in a 1:1 ratio, or as a dry powder with 3.5 percent echinacoside (150-300 mg).
When using supplements, it is always best to begin these recommended dosages as soon as the symptoms are experienced. By doing so, you support the body in mobilizing its defenses quickly to stave off the approaching illness and potentially reduce your down time. You may also want to consider consuming foods rather than just focusing on supplements to meet your nutritional needs. Foods have a wider variety of nutrients than does a single supplement and may be more effective at providing the balance the body needs. A great resource for learning more about the foods you put in your body is a book by Dr. Andrew Weil called Eating for Optimum Health.
Using this Information Wisely
As with any health recommendation, it is important to discuss the use of nutritional supplements with your primary care physician, a naturopathic physician, and/or licensed nutritionist before using such products as discussed with this article. Excess consumption of vitamins and minerals, whether you’re sick or well, can be detrimental to your health. It is best to consider working with a healthcare professional to educate yourself about the choices you have when it comes to nutritional supplements and your health. However, you can make choices about how you live your life. By making wise choices about how you eat, sleep, exercise, and manage stress, you can really support your body in functioning at its best — not only to fend off potential illness but also to feel your best everyday. This is a matter of choice and one that we all must make consciously!
Bob Martin has a Masters of Science in exercise physiology and nutrition. He is owner and Head Exercise Physiologist of Natural Science for Health and Wellness. Special thanks to Jennifer Martin for her contribution.
Resources
Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine by Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D.
Eight Weeks to Optimum Health and Eating Well for Optimum Health by Andrew Weil, M.D.