Common cold viruses infect the nose, throat, larynx, and sinuses, causing sore throat, hoarseness, cough, achiness, and congestion but lack the severe symptoms of fever and extreme exhaustion that you get with the “flu,” or influenza. You can “catch” a cold through respiratory droplets in the air but also from touching contaminated surfaces, where they can live for up to three hours outside the human body. We tend to catch more colds in the fall and winter months, when the virus is more contagious and replicates more easily. One of the issues with the cold is that it’s our own immune reaction to the virus that can dictate the severity and duration of a cold. So here are some ways to get your body ready for cold season, shorten the virus’s duration, and decrease symptoms naturally without taking any medications. Some people get some nausea taking zinc on an empty stomach, but taking zinc capsules (up to 15 to 30 mg daily with food) at the first symptoms for the cold is safe and effective. There are many forms of zinc, which vary in absorbability, but I like zinc monomethionine because it doesn’t alter copper stores in the body. Loading up on zinc-rich foods in the winter can help as well; these include lean red meat, oysters, crab, lentils, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds. In addition, probiotics only worked to reduce symptoms and duration of the common cold, so you will need to takes them daily for a few months before cold season. You want to pick a multi-strain formula from a reputable company. It’s also important to eat naturally fermented foods that contain probiotic species of bacteria in them. These include foods like sauerkraut, kimchee, miso, and kefir. Vitamin D is an immunomodulator and plays a role in preventing autoimmune disease. Trials have shown that having higher levels of vitamin D also can reduce our risk of getting the common cold. Because food sources of vitamin D are rare unless you drink supplemented foods like milk and fortified cereals, I recommend taking a supplement especially in the winter months. You need to aim for at least 4,000 IUs daily. If you have a cold, take a week off from heavy exercise. Instead, do something restorative like yoga, tai chi, or just simply walking. Aim for eight to 10 hours of sleep nightly, and take naps if you need to. Your body will heal faster will this type of TLC. Peppermint oil8 along with rosemary oil9 can potentially break up mucus and calm a nagging cough. These can also be vaporized or placed in a carrier oil and rubbed between the hands before breathing in. Lastly, frankincense, also known as boswellia10, has significant anti-inflammatory activity on respiratory tissue. This can be taken as an oral tablet and also gives significant relief for aches and pains caused by the common cold. The basic recipe is to use slightly tepid distilled water with sea salt and a pinch of baking soda. Irrigate both sides one to three times daily for as long as your symptoms last. She started the Moday Center for Functional and Integrative Medicine in Philadelphia, where she practices both traditional medicine and integrative medicine. You can learn more about Dr. Moday through her blog and website and follow her on her YouTube channel, Functional Medicine TV.
