Alternative Treatments
for the Common Cold
Your
throat begins to get sore. You start to feel chilled and then warm.
Your nose gets congested. Your body aches and your energy begins to
drain. Thoughts of going to bed and resting begin to take on an even
greater attraction than usual. Diagnosis? You have probably developed
“acute coryza” …otherwise known as the common cold.
The common cold is a virus infection of the upper respiratory tract.
There are over 200 strains of viruses that can cause cold symptoms, and
they are constantly mutating. Statistically, the average adult gets 1-3
colds a year.
The best approach in dealing with a cold is to not get one.
Prevention is the best medicine, and that means getting proper rest,
eating a nutritious and balanced diet, drinking enough water, staying
warm enough, exercising a few times a week, having enough fun, having
enough deep, soulful time, and generally making sure that your e-motions
are in motion (not getting stuck). If you get frequent colds, it is
probably your body’s way of telling you that one or more of the above
areas of your life are in need of some attention.
Once you actually have the symptoms of a cold, however, there are a
myriad of alternative treatments that can help you get back to health.
Many alternative therapists believe that the symptoms of the common
cold are the body’s way of fighting a cold virus and, therefore,
should not be suppressed. The approach taken, then, is to assist your
body in moving through the process in as short of a duration as
possible.
Two supplements that have been shown to speed up the recovery from a
cold are Vitamin C and Zinc. Numerous studies have shown that taking
high dosages of Vitamin C (1-2,000 mg 3 times a day) helps to shorten
the duration of the common cold. Zinc has also been shown to speed up
the recovery of a cold, by blocking viruses from multiplying.
From a nutritional perspective, eating a diet that is high in fruits,
vegetables and fiber is ideal. Reducing your dairy and sugar consumption
is also quite important because these foods are very mucous producing.
When you have a cold, eating dairy and sugar is like throwing gas on a
fire that you are trying to put out. Hot lemon drinks reduce mucous
production as does garlic, onion and horseradish. Garlic (especially
raw) also has excellent anti bacterial and antiviral properties.
Chopping up 2 cloves of raw garlic and mixing it with other food can be
incredibly therapeutic when you are suffering from cold symptoms.
It is very important to drink plenty of water. Water is vital for
every function of our bodies, and it is essential in helping to clean
out our respiratory tract, and generally flush out the toxins and waste
that can be more prevalent when we have a cold.
From a Western herbal perspective, there are dozens of herbs that can
assist your system in recovering from the common cold. The most popular
of these is echinacea, which can help to weaken cold viruses in addition
to strengthening the body’s defenses to work better. Goldenseal is
often combined with echinacea in herbal cold treatments. It’s also an
immune-booster, and it can help to reduce mucous in the nose and throat.
Another herb that is excellent for the treatment of colds is elder
flower, which has a strong anti-mucous effect and can help lower fevers.
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are quite beneficial in
treating people with cold symptoms. Both acupuncture and Chinese herbal
therapy can help fortify a person’s immune system, thus supporting a
quick recovery. An individual diagnosis is essential for determining the
proper treatment. Two people, for instance, can have a cough and the
treatment be distinctly different depending on their associated signs
and symptoms. Having said that, the following are three herb formulas
that can be used safely, for certain types of cold symptoms:
: For early stages of cold (first 48
hours), with sore throat and slight fever.
Gan Mao Ling: For early stages of cold (first 48
hours), with chills and aversion to cold.
Bi Yan Pian: For nasal congestion (for short term,
symptomatic use).
If your cold symptoms persist beyond two weeks or get worse, it is
important to consult your doctor as you might be dealing with a
bacterial infection. Difficulty breathing, earache, persistent fever,
and enlarged lymph nodes are other signs that you should consult your
doctor.
