How to Kick a Cold in One Day Flat: or the Art of “Kung Flu”

November 7, 2007

So, you want to skip the cold and flu season? Want to kick the cough, give the finger to the flu? Want to be able to go for a run while you’re family members are sniffling and sneezing? Well I’ll tell you what you can do to stop a cold dead in it’s tracks or how to stop it before it starts. This season, don’t just hope you don’t get sick, give your immune system the right tools to fight the war against infection. If you’re like me, you don’t have the time to get sick, it’s just not in the schedule, so I’m going to tell you how I’ve fought off multiple colds, sore throats and runny noses within two days or less of any symptoms. Want to learn my secret? Then follow along:

1.Goldenseal ? If you read nothing else in this post, read this section and read it well. How I ever did without this herb, I’ll never know. During one summer I started feeling like I was coming down with a nasty summer cold. Annoyed at my increasingly irritated throat and runny nose, I went to buy something that I had heard was good for heading off colds. At the counter and ready to pay, the manager told me a secret, ?This stuff is crap.? I won’t name the brand, but it’s a wafer you put in water. ?If you really want to get rid of a cold, I’ll show you what you need.? She took me back to the liquid herbs and handed me a small bottle of yellow liquid that cost $11 for one fluid ounce. I said, ?You’ve got to be kidding.? She wasn’t. She told me to put about 20 drops into some water, gargle and swallow. ?Do that two times a day until your cold is gone,? she told me. ?It won’t take long.?

I took it, figuring that I knew this woman and was pretty sure she wasn’t going to steer me wrong. I put 20 drops into a swallows-worth of water, which made it look like lime Gatorade and taste like a mouth full of dandelions. I gargled, swallowed, made a funny face, went to find a mint and repeated two more times that day. The next day, however, I didn’t have the slightest sign of a cold. No runny nose. No sore throat. I was cured . . . in a day! I won’t lie to you, this stuff tastes like eating sour grass, but I’ll be damned if one to two doses hasn’t knocked out multiple colds and sore throats before they even got a foothold on my immune system. Want to kick your cold? Want to get rid of a sore throat? Look getting some Goldenseal.

The science behind Goldenseal is varied, as it isn’t an antibiotic in the strict sense of the term, but information on it is easy enough to find. And remember, before you take any herbal supplements, check with your doctor first, I’m not taking responsibility for you doing something you shouldn’t. Oh, and by the way, if you suffer from canker sores in your mouth like I do, Goldenseal will knock those right out too. Works miracles, I tell ya!

2.Time-Released Vitamin-C ? I know, Vitamin-C, blah, blah, blah, but the important words here are ?time-released,? that’s what you want. We all know that Vitamin-C is great for your immune system, but you’re going to be much happier with yourself if you take the time-released version so that it can be released into your system throughout the day. And if you find it with rose-hips, don’t say no to those either. Now I know some people don’t like Vitamin-C because it upsets their stomach. If you’re one of those people, then go for Esther-C, which is a synthetic form of Vitamin-C. The virtue of Esther-C is that it absorbs about four times better in your system and has a lower Ph balance, so it’s gentler on your stomach.

Now if you want to get your Vitamin-C in other ways there’s always the option of drinking it. There are more than enough options these days. Nowadays it’s hard to turn around without finding some powdered drink mix or ready-to-drink Vitamin-C option. If you want your powdered drinks, fine, but whatever you do, don’t rely too heavily on the orange juice you buy in the grocery store. When I was a kid, a few gallons of orange juice helped me kick the flu during a road trip, but the ratio of Vitamin-C to sugar content just isn’t worth it. Take a pill, drink a powder. You’re options are limitless, but I still say you can’t go wrong with a time-released tablet.

3.Gargle Often ? When you’re not gargling Goldenseal, be gargling warm water. Gargling can help to reduce the amount of bacteria found in your throat and getting rid of this bacteria can not only help have fresh breath, but it can help to reduce the frequency of colds and sore throats. If you’re already sick with a sore throat, forget gargling with things like mouthwashes that contain alcohol. Instead, use warm salt water as the alcohol can irritate and dry out your throat, just increasing the discomfort. Now if you’re not sick, just get in the habit of gargling after you brush your teeth, if you don’t have that habit already. Remember, the best offense is a good defense, or some other sports metaphor you’d prefer.

The bottom line is that if you’re consistently exercising and getting enough sleep, staying healthy during cold and flu season shouldn’t be a problem at all. But, sometimes we just don’t get the rest and recovery that we need and that’s when catching a cold or flu becomes a real danger. Do your best to prevent colds and flu, but if you find you’re not feeling your best, check with your doctor to see if these methods are right for you. I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that since I’ve purchased my Goldenseal and Vitamin-C I have yet to get sick. I’m sure I’ve jinxed it now by making that bold claim, but I’m confident that I’ve got the right tools to weather out the season. Are you as confident in your immune system?

Posted in Being Proactive, Fitness, Happiness