The unpleasant symptoms related to the dreaded cold can last upwards of two weeks. This brings to mind the saying: “Without treatment, it will take you 14 days to get rid of a cold. With treatment, it will take two weeks.” There is no straight cure. Nonetheless, at your local drugstore, there are more over-the-counter products sold for the common cold than for any other condition. Most of these medications can alleviate the discomfort of certain cold symptoms, they fail in their attempt to neutralize the root of the common cold. Only our own body can achieve this.

You can, however, help the body combat infection. Knowing what to do and following those guidelines is the path to success, as is using natural products that stimulate the immune system and bring into play the body’s inherent strength. Much scientific research has shown that it’s possible to nip an attack in the bud and even if it’s too late for that, you can win the battle in about half the time and with fewer side effects or symptoms.

The overwhelmingly positive response from many people who have followed my recommendations over the years, not least world-class athletes who have to train hard for long periods in extreme conditions with their immune system constantly under stress, shows how effective this system is.

The best results are achieved if you take the following products at the merest hint of a cold or virus:

• Echinacea (the most potent parts of the plant echinacea purpurea are the roots, followed by the leaves). Take the recommended dosage of a high-quality product, but as least six times per day.
• Zinc lozenges (zinc gluconate or zinc acetate) roughly 20 mg six times per day.
• Multi-vitamin-mineral supplements (high-quality, high-strength), during or right after every meal.
• Vitamin C with bioflavonoids, 200-500 mg every two hours.
• Raw garlic, one mashed clove with your meals.

It is recommended that you take the initial dose for two full days.

After that, cut the dosage for zinc and echinacea in half, this will reduce the intake of the supplement to every four hours instead of every two hours. If you take more than 100 mg of zinc per day for a longer period, you could suffer of side effects, such as your immune system becoming suppressed. Continue the reduced regimen for another 10 to 12 days, and you may repeat it a number of times per year. Use much smaller amounts for children—the maximum should be half of the above recommended dose, but at the same frequency.

The program is so successful because, as mentioned earlier, it stimulates the body’s own immune system, which lacks vitamins and minerals in this situation, and also incorporates more weapons in its defense.

Echinacea improves the immune defense as it increases the production and activity of natural “killer cells” (T-cells) as well as the production of interferon. The herb astragalus (astragalus membranaceous) has a similar effect and can be taken along with echinacea, but also independently of this program over many weeks and months.

Garlic bolsters the defenses and helps in the recovery process because it acts strongly against bacteria and viruses. It lowers cholesterol and thins the blood, which are useful side effects for most people (though the same couldn’t be said of its aroma)!

The following recommendations enhance the efficiency of the program:

• Drink a lot of fluids - but only decaffeinated and non-alcoholic! The best choices are water, herbal teas, freshly squeezed vegetable juices or vegetable bouillon.
• Eat very little in the first day, especially no foods that are difficult to digest. Amazingly, the body’s coping mechanism diminishes appetite naturally, thus allowing the body to focus its energies on fighting off the bacterial invaders and not the digestion process.
• Sugar will harm you and will even support your enemy.
• Hot lemon does not help. Chinese medicine rates lemon as a “cold” food. Additionally the heat destroys vitamins (especially vitamin C) and minerals. At a later stage you may drink freshly squeezed lemon juice with cold water if you are thirsty.
• Eating chicken soup with plenty of vegetables and some rice or pasta is a good idea.

Depending on the symptoms you may experience and how severe they could be, you might find it helpful to:

• Gargle with warm salt water.
• Use an inhaler.
• Use nose drops or spray.

Strengthening the Immune System and Preventing a Cold

It’s a good idea to do something towards strengthening the immune system throughout the year and so improve your general health, including resistance to colds. You shouldn’t wait till handkerchief usage is rising nationwide, colleagues are starting to cough and splutter, your neighbor is off work, entire nurseries are infected or newspaper headlines are full of flu epidemics. In such situations, people who are under a lot of physical or mental stress or otherwise have a weak immune system, whether it’s because of illness, age or poor nutrition, are naturally going to be particularly at risk. The chance of infection goes up still further if you have to spend a long time with lots of people in a confined space such as public transport, conference and meeting rooms and school and college.

Using a simplified version of the program “Combating Colds and Viruses” can make a big difference. This is what I recommend for a two-week course:

• Echinacea, three times a day in the dose as suggested.
• Zinc, 20 mg three times a day in the form of zinc gluconat tablets that can be sucked in the mouth.

After this you can take a break for two to four weeks, and then start again. You can also take astragalus, as previously mentioned.

Everyone knows that taking part in sport that you enjoy and having a sauna are important contributions to health and staying free of colds. But it’s a good idea to be aware of the following guidelines when infection threatens:

• Wash your hands often and keep them away from your face. The bugs are everywhere and are mostly transmitted by hand (while eating, touching your nose, scratching your head, working the nails with your teeth, etc.).
• Stay away from people who sneeze and cough a lot.
• Protect your nose with a tissue if it is necessary (e.g., if you are in a crowded bus or train). Don’t hesitate to give a tissue to others if they need it. Smile and offer them, for example, an eucalyptus candy.

Anyone who sticks to this advice has not only a great chance of staying free of colds over the years and preventing chronic illnesses developing, they are also doing a great deal for their health in general.

The sensible person doesn’t only keep their own “home” clean, they build strong walls made from solid materials around it. To complete the picture, this chart presents the basic points of my program.

Elements for a Healthy Life