Common Cold
Winter is known as cold and flu season. Some of you have written to me about the flu, although the symptoms I am hearing most appear to be the cold and not the flu. It is hard to tell the difference sometimes. We will be looking at the cold, which is generally characterized by a stuffed up (or constantly running) nose, swelling of the sinus tissue, sore or raspy throat, and oftentimes the feeling that one's head is "swelled up like a balloon." Secondary symptoms can include laryngitis leading to loss of voice, nausea due to sinus drainage into the digestive tract, and a low-grade fever. If you are experiencing aching joints, exhaustion, and a high fever, you probably have the flu. If mucus gets into your lungs, you have trouble breathing, and you are running a fever, you probably have bronchitis and should see a doctor. If left untreated, bronchitis can lead to pneumonia, which can be fatal.
A majority of colds are caused by the rhinovirus (rhin- means nose in Greek), which is easily transmitted from human-to-human contact. A common way to catch a cold is hand-to-hand with self-transference through the nose, eye or mouth. In other words, shaking hands with someone who has a cold and then eating or rubbing your eyes. The rhinovirus can last up to 2 hours on human skin and up to 4 hours on an inanimate object, such as a bathroom sink faucet.(2) Luckily, cold sufferers tend to be infectious when they're symptomatic, so it can be easy to avoid human-to-human contact.
Prevention
The best way to treat a cold is to not get one in the first place, and this is fairly easily accomplished with some common sense:
1. Wash your hands before every meal and after visiting the bathroom. Every time. The "Making Light" blog listed some excellent advice on washing your hands (although I disagree with the recommendation of cleaning with bleach). Points to remember: use soap (not antibacterial soap, which breeds supergerms) because soap makes germs flow off of your hands in the running water, you must rub your soapy hands together to remove the germs, and you should turn off the bathroom faucet using a paper towel, so as not to reinfect yourself. (1)
2. Ask sick employees or students to go home. They need their rest, and no one needs their infection.
3. Avoid crowds. Rhinovirus thrives in warm, moist, crowded environments, like crowded shopping malls.(2)
4. Eat healthfully, take your vitamins, get lots of rest and keep warm. If your immune system is up to par, you will have a better chance of avoiding infection.
Anti-Cold Diffuser Mix
6 drops Orange (Citrus Sinensis)
4 drops Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis)
3 drops Tea Tree (Melaleuca Alternifolia)
1 drop Geranium (Pelargonium Graveolens)
Anti-Cold Spray (2 ounces)
1 1/2 ounce water
Just under 1/2 ounce vodka
6 drops Orange (Citrus Sinensis)
6 drops Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis)
2 drops Tea Tree (Melaleuca Alternifolia)
2 drops Geranium (Pelargonium Graveolens)
2 drops Cedarwood (Cedrus Atlantica)
You can use this spray in the air or spray on non-porous surfaces after you have washed them down.
Early Treatment
Once you have a cold, there is no way to "cure" yourself, but you can keep symptoms to a minimum and reduce the illness' length if you attack right away.
1. Echinacea (Angustifolia, Purpurea, Pallida) – Studies are conflicting on the effectiveness of echinacea. Those that support its use show it to be ineffective in prevention but better suited to reducing the length of the illness. 30-60 drops in tincture form is the recommended dosage, per PDR for Herbal Medicines. Some tinctures offer an echinacea-goldenseal mixture, which is recommended as goldenseal has been shown to act against bacteria and inflammation.(3) Drug interactions exist, and echinacea and goldenseal are not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women.
2. Eat healthfully, take your vitamins, get plenty of rest and keep warm. As soon as you feel any symptoms, treat yourself as if you are sick. Do not go to the gym, do not go to work or school, do not go to parties. Drink plenty of water and tea (green tea contains high levels of antioxidants, which strengthen the body's defenses). Your grandma has been telling you for years to take some chicken soup; listen to her, because laboratory tests have shown chicken soup to be great at fighting inflammation.(4) It's best to make your own soup (or have grandma make it for you), but if you end up with canned soup, avoid major brands with preservatives and high levels of sodium. Organic chicken broth is the best choice.
3. What about Emergen-C and Airborn? Studies have shown that neither of these supplements cure a cold or flu, but they are great sources of the vitamins and minerals you need for a strong immune system. Remember: there is no Magic Pill, but a strong, daily supply of vitamins and minerals works hand in hand with a diet focused on fresh, whole foods and lots and lots of fluids. In other words, it does you no good to chug down four Emergen-Cs a day if all you're eating are french fries and ice cream. Fresh vegetables (or frozen), fruit juice, whole grains (put some brown rice in that chicken soup) are necessary.
Full Treatment
If the cold gets the best of you, you need some help to turn the tide.
1. Sleep. This is the best way to fight off nearly any infection. When your body is truly asleep (not just with eyes closed), it heals itself.
2. Fluids, especially tea. This helps fight off dehydration, as well as flush out dead white blood cells and germs. Hot tea helps soothe a sore throat, lemon's antiseptic qualities can clean out germs, and honey has antibacterial qualities. What type of tea? Green tea is high in antioxidants, ginger soothes a nauseous stomach, rosehip has vitamin C. Or consider some of the other types of teas -- white and Rooibos. Try a drop of Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia) for extra anti-inflammation and anti-bacterial action (often, a sore throat is open to secondary bacterial infection).
3. Eat healthfully, take your vitamins, get plenty of rest and keep warm. Obviously, this can not be stressed enough. If you have nasal congestion, it is imperative to avoid dairy (no ice cream, no milk, no yogurt, etc.).
Breathe Easier Chest Rub
1 cup olive oil
3/4 oz. beeswax
1 1/2 tsp Cajuput (Melaleuca Leucadendron var. Cajuputi)
1 tsp Peppermint (Mentha Piperita)
Melt the beeswax and olive oil GENTLY in a microwave or in the top of a double boiler. Allow to cool a bit, stir in the essential oils and pour into a container. Once cooled, rub 1/4 tsp on chest and back. The cooling fumes will help you breathe through the nose, and you will notice relief from chest congestion.
War On Germs! Diffuser Mix
2 drops Chamomile (Chamamaelum Nobile)
2 drops Cinnamon Bark (Cinnamomum Zeylanicum)
2 drops Clove Bud (Syzygium Aromaticum)
2 drops Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia)
2 drops Marjorum (Origanum Majorana)
2 drops Peppermint (Mentha Piperita)
2 drops Tea Tree (Melaleuca Alternifolia)
2 drops Thyme (Thymus Vulgaris)
I can not tell you this smells good, because it doesn't, but it is like a nuclear bomb on germs. Do not let the diffuser run for more than 30 minutes.
My wishes that you stay healthy throughout the new year.
(1) Making Light
(2) Rajnik, Michael, MD; eMedicine.com; "Rhinoviruses"
(3) Natural Standard
(4) CNN
A majority of colds are caused by the rhinovirus (rhin- means nose in Greek), which is easily transmitted from human-to-human contact. A common way to catch a cold is hand-to-hand with self-transference through the nose, eye or mouth. In other words, shaking hands with someone who has a cold and then eating or rubbing your eyes. The rhinovirus can last up to 2 hours on human skin and up to 4 hours on an inanimate object, such as a bathroom sink faucet.(2) Luckily, cold sufferers tend to be infectious when they're symptomatic, so it can be easy to avoid human-to-human contact.
Prevention
The best way to treat a cold is to not get one in the first place, and this is fairly easily accomplished with some common sense:
1. Wash your hands before every meal and after visiting the bathroom. Every time. The "Making Light" blog listed some excellent advice on washing your hands (although I disagree with the recommendation of cleaning with bleach). Points to remember: use soap (not antibacterial soap, which breeds supergerms) because soap makes germs flow off of your hands in the running water, you must rub your soapy hands together to remove the germs, and you should turn off the bathroom faucet using a paper towel, so as not to reinfect yourself. (1)
2. Ask sick employees or students to go home. They need their rest, and no one needs their infection.
3. Avoid crowds. Rhinovirus thrives in warm, moist, crowded environments, like crowded shopping malls.(2)
4. Eat healthfully, take your vitamins, get lots of rest and keep warm. If your immune system is up to par, you will have a better chance of avoiding infection.
Anti-Cold Diffuser Mix
6 drops Orange (Citrus Sinensis)
4 drops Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis)
3 drops Tea Tree (Melaleuca Alternifolia)
1 drop Geranium (Pelargonium Graveolens)
Anti-Cold Spray (2 ounces)
1 1/2 ounce water
Just under 1/2 ounce vodka
6 drops Orange (Citrus Sinensis)
6 drops Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis)
2 drops Tea Tree (Melaleuca Alternifolia)
2 drops Geranium (Pelargonium Graveolens)
2 drops Cedarwood (Cedrus Atlantica)
You can use this spray in the air or spray on non-porous surfaces after you have washed them down.
Early Treatment
Once you have a cold, there is no way to "cure" yourself, but you can keep symptoms to a minimum and reduce the illness' length if you attack right away.
1. Echinacea (Angustifolia, Purpurea, Pallida) – Studies are conflicting on the effectiveness of echinacea. Those that support its use show it to be ineffective in prevention but better suited to reducing the length of the illness. 30-60 drops in tincture form is the recommended dosage, per PDR for Herbal Medicines. Some tinctures offer an echinacea-goldenseal mixture, which is recommended as goldenseal has been shown to act against bacteria and inflammation.(3) Drug interactions exist, and echinacea and goldenseal are not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women.
2. Eat healthfully, take your vitamins, get plenty of rest and keep warm. As soon as you feel any symptoms, treat yourself as if you are sick. Do not go to the gym, do not go to work or school, do not go to parties. Drink plenty of water and tea (green tea contains high levels of antioxidants, which strengthen the body's defenses). Your grandma has been telling you for years to take some chicken soup; listen to her, because laboratory tests have shown chicken soup to be great at fighting inflammation.(4) It's best to make your own soup (or have grandma make it for you), but if you end up with canned soup, avoid major brands with preservatives and high levels of sodium. Organic chicken broth is the best choice.
3. What about Emergen-C and Airborn? Studies have shown that neither of these supplements cure a cold or flu, but they are great sources of the vitamins and minerals you need for a strong immune system. Remember: there is no Magic Pill, but a strong, daily supply of vitamins and minerals works hand in hand with a diet focused on fresh, whole foods and lots and lots of fluids. In other words, it does you no good to chug down four Emergen-Cs a day if all you're eating are french fries and ice cream. Fresh vegetables (or frozen), fruit juice, whole grains (put some brown rice in that chicken soup) are necessary.
Full Treatment
If the cold gets the best of you, you need some help to turn the tide.
1. Sleep. This is the best way to fight off nearly any infection. When your body is truly asleep (not just with eyes closed), it heals itself.
2. Fluids, especially tea. This helps fight off dehydration, as well as flush out dead white blood cells and germs. Hot tea helps soothe a sore throat, lemon's antiseptic qualities can clean out germs, and honey has antibacterial qualities. What type of tea? Green tea is high in antioxidants, ginger soothes a nauseous stomach, rosehip has vitamin C. Or consider some of the other types of teas -- white and Rooibos. Try a drop of Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia) for extra anti-inflammation and anti-bacterial action (often, a sore throat is open to secondary bacterial infection).
3. Eat healthfully, take your vitamins, get plenty of rest and keep warm. Obviously, this can not be stressed enough. If you have nasal congestion, it is imperative to avoid dairy (no ice cream, no milk, no yogurt, etc.).
Breathe Easier Chest Rub
1 cup olive oil
3/4 oz. beeswax
1 1/2 tsp Cajuput (Melaleuca Leucadendron var. Cajuputi)
1 tsp Peppermint (Mentha Piperita)
Melt the beeswax and olive oil GENTLY in a microwave or in the top of a double boiler. Allow to cool a bit, stir in the essential oils and pour into a container. Once cooled, rub 1/4 tsp on chest and back. The cooling fumes will help you breathe through the nose, and you will notice relief from chest congestion.
War On Germs! Diffuser Mix
2 drops Chamomile (Chamamaelum Nobile)
2 drops Cinnamon Bark (Cinnamomum Zeylanicum)
2 drops Clove Bud (Syzygium Aromaticum)
2 drops Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia)
2 drops Marjorum (Origanum Majorana)
2 drops Peppermint (Mentha Piperita)
2 drops Tea Tree (Melaleuca Alternifolia)
2 drops Thyme (Thymus Vulgaris)
I can not tell you this smells good, because it doesn't, but it is like a nuclear bomb on germs. Do not let the diffuser run for more than 30 minutes.
My wishes that you stay healthy throughout the new year.
(1) Making Light
(2) Rajnik, Michael, MD; eMedicine.com; "Rhinoviruses"
(3) Natural Standard
(4) CNN
Labels: clinical discussion
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