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The common cold is the most often experienced sickness. Almost everyone picks up a cold at least once a year and nobody enjoys fighting it off. The symptoms include everything that is undesirable and they can linger on for days and weeks at a time. The colder months of the year are typically considered cold and flu season mostly because the bug is easier to transmit in colder temperature however that does not mean that you can let your guard down during the warmer times of the year. Cold symptoms can take hold when you least expect them so you should take precautions at all times to decrease your risk for catching a cold and ensure you are in good health as much as possible.

Cold prevention boils down to just a few things that you can feasibly control. You need to maintain good hygiene, support your immune system, avoid sick people when possible, and use common cold remedies at home when applicable. Common remedies are not difficult to practice and they are worth it if they can decrease the frequency with which you develop and suffer through colds.
Common cold virus
The virus which causes the common cold comes in many strains where some are stringer than others. The common thread however is that they all can exist and live on surfaces and your hands for days before dying. This means that when you touch things with the virus on them you are putting yourself at risk as the virus can be spread to your hands and eventually to your body. If you wash your hands frequently you will be far less likely to introduce the virus into your system and you will catch colds less often.

In addition to personal hygiene, if you support a healthy and strong immune system your body is more able to fight off the virus before cold symptoms appear. Getting plenty of good sleep and consuming immune boosting foods such as mushrooms and garlic can help. Other common way to prevent colds include taking vitamin c regularly as a supplement and occasionally zinc.

Should you end up catching a cold however you will be far more likely to experience a shorter duration of symptoms if you continue the same practices as described above including supplementing with zinc lozenges but also with Echinacea supplements. Echinacea supplements have been shown to shorten the duration of cold symptoms noticeably and when used in conjunction with other home remedies should ensure fewer days of sickness.

There are many additional cold remedies advertised in the market place. Some may work and others may not. It is important to experiment but all home remedies should be examined carefully to determine if they are credible or not. Remember the power of the placebo is strong and if a product claims to shorten or prevent cold symptoms it may only do so because you believe it will. Play the proven odds first though. Do what we know prevents colds and try the obscure home remedies later.
Bri writes often on the topic of preventing sickness through better nutrition, home remedies, and modern medicine. The best part is that all information is free and sources are referenced to the clinical research that the info is based upon.

Herbal relief for colds and flu are numerous and very effective.

When you feel as if a cold is starting you should immediately take a dose of five drops of Echinacea as per dosage instructions on the bottle and you should increase your vitamin C intake.
Cold virus
Our bodies cannot hold or manufacture Vitamin C so increasing your daily intake can immediately help to improve your immune system. Your body will flush out any excess it does not need. If you find your bowels are loose reduce the amount you are taking. Ideally take 1-2 grams of Vitamin C twice a day with meals.

For a soothing effect you should make a steam bath containing Tea Tree oil, Eucalyptus and Peppermint oil and inhale the steam. This will help ward off the cold and prevent congestion.

Drink lots of fluids but try to avoid milk as this can suppress your immune system.

If breathing problems persist consult your medical practitioner.

Herbs can work more effectively to combat flu than even the latest flu vaccines.

New Olive Leaf Extract is a strong antibacterial/antiviral capable of countering bacteria and viruses that even modern medicines cannot tackle. Recently the processing methods for this extract have changed and the potency of the resulting product is vastly improved.

Olive Leaf extract fights amongst other things retroviruses and is very effective in fighting the rhinovirus – the most common cause of the common cold.

Another weapon in the herbal relief arsenal against colds and flu is the elderberry.

Elderberries make a fantastic drink and this drink can help you recover from a cold more quickly and help to build your strength before another illness of infection catches you in a weakened state.

Elderberries will hasten your recovery from a cold or flu in a very interesting way. When flu cells attack the body they break into your healthy cells by attaching to the surface using spikes on their own surface. Elderberry works by making these spikes ineffective in a way that is not yet understood but by doing this the flu virus is defeated before it can cause any damage.

An effective fight against the flu virus is to add half to one teaspoon of Elderberry Tincture to a little water and take every four hours as soon as you feel the first symptoms. Continue this for three days.

There are countless ways herbal relief for the symptoms of a cold of flu can be gained. The results are quick and effective and herbal remedies can also be taken alongside traditional medicines but should never be regarded as a total replacement or in place of a visit to your medical practitioner.

Prevention, protection and treatment of the Common Cold

Common cold and regular flu are the most commonly occurring illnesses in the entire world, with more than 1 billion colds per year reported in the United States alone. The common cold is a self-limited illness caused by any 1 of more than 200 viruses. You usually do not need to call your doctor if you catch a cold. For more severe symptoms or a prolonged duration of symptoms, you should visit your doctor. An office visit will usually be fine.

I. How to protect yourself from cold and flu

1. Stop stress – Pushing yourself too hard depresses the immune system. When your defenses are down, you are vulnerable to a cold or flu virus.

2. Healthy diet – A healthy diet is important to keep your immune system strong. Avoid junk food and consume more fruits, vegetables and plenty of non-caffeinated liquids.

3. Taking vitamin C daily – During cold season, taking extra vitamin C helps to strengthen your defenses against cold viruses. This helps to reduce the severity of cold symptoms. Be sure to wash your hand after using any office equipment, especially when one of your co-workers have colds.
Vitamin C Information
II. If you have a cold

1. Drink a lot of hot fluids. Traditionally, a family member who has cold or flu is only allowed to take hot chicken soup and chicken congee, avoiding all the hard to digest and cold foods. No one knows why but it works more effectively. Hot tea also keep the nasal passages open.

2. Take an antihistamine to relieve stuffy nose.

3. Treat coughs with the right cough medicine Coughs that produce phlegm can be treated by the ingredient guaifenesin which loosens the mucus that causes you to cough. If you have a dry and irritating cough, dextromethorphan might be used to suppress it during the night so you can sleep. Unless absolutely necessary do not use antibiotics. Overuse of antibiotics do more harm than good to your body.

Prevention and Treatment with Foods
A.Here are some foods that can be eaten regularly so you can strengthen up your immune system and kill the bugs before they can attack.

1. Chicken soup
No one knows how, but it works. It was nothing compared to the improvement after intake of chicken soup, our body might need to negate the effects of steam from hot water and hot chicken soup. If you look closer to any chicken soup recipe, you can see there are a lot of garlic, onions, peppers, etc which are natural remedies helping to improve immune system.

2. Contessa
Mix regular tea with 1 teaspoon of honey, congac, butter each and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and drink them while it is hot before bed time. You will see the difference when you wake up in the morning.

3. Honey and apple cider vinegar
Mix 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar and an equal amount of honey. It is particularly effective for a cold with a sore throat.

4. Tea, cinnamon, sage and bay leaves
Prepare tea by steeping equal parts of cinnamon, sage, and bay leaves in hot water. Strain and before drinking the tea add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and honey.

5. Sunflower seeds
Boil 1/2 cup of sunflower seeds in 5 cups of water until there is about 2 cups of water left in the pot. Then add 2 cups of honey and 1/2 cup of gin. Take 2 teaspoons three times a day just before mealtime.

6. Drink a lot of non dairy liquid, so you can keep flushing out your system.

B. Prevention and Treatment with Nutritional Supplements:
Here are some nutrients that have proven record of preventing cold and flu. Keep these nutrients in mind when the cold and flu season comes.

1. Vitamin C
This nutrient strengthens the immune system, accelerating its ability to combat harmful substances. Bowel tolerance doses can be taken orally and more can be taken with out this effect when administered intravenously.

2. Bioflavonoids
Working together with vitamin C, Bioflavonoids assists in the management of cold and flu by reducing the severity and duration of symptoms, helping to maintain and strengthen capillary and connective tissues. It also has an effectiveness of relieving varicose and surface veins.

3.DHEA
This adrenal hormone offers immune enhancing qualities and helps fight viruses.

4.Zinc
Zinc plays an important role in preventing and treating cold and flu. It is required by the thymus gland that is a major link in the immune system, helping to produce highly differentiated and educated cells that can fight off the onslaught of new bacteria and viruses.

5. Shark liver oil
Seagate shark liver oil has one of the highest natural levels of Omega 3 fatty acids in the world. Deficiencies in these fatty acids have been noticed in studies involving people having nervous disorders. Shark liver oil also helps in boosting the production of virus fighting cytokines and alkylglycerols make shark liver oil the natural fighter of antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal forces.

6.Melatonin
Melatonin has the ability to trigger T-helper-cell production. T-helper-cells are necessary for the immune system in recognizing cancer cells, viruses, bacteria and fungi.

There are many more nutrients which have a power in strengthening your immune system, helping to fend of cold and flu such as medical mushroom, gamma- Linoleic acid, and etc.

C. Prevention and Treatment with With Herbs:
Here are some herbs that might help to prevent cold virus and flu:

1.Echinacea
Echinacea boosts the immune system to help prevent cold, flu, allergies and minor upper respiratory infections therefore it has an effectiveness of treating cold, flu & sinus relief.

3.Greentea
Green tea contains antioxidants that can help to boost immune function, therefore with immune system strengthening substances green tea protects your body from getting cold or flu. A recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition showed that subjects taking a special preparation of green tea as a capsule experienced 23% less of getting cold and flu overall and 36% fewer sick days.

4.Goldenseal
Goldensea provides nutrients that enhance the immune system and help fight the cold and flu, shortening the duration of colds and flu. It also is one of the most popular herbal combinations for respiratory issues, used by Native Americans for centuries.

5.Astragalus
Astralagus has been used in Asia to prevent cold and flu for more than 2,000 years. This herb stimulates the body’s production of interferon, which is a potent immune protein that boosts your ability to fight infections and diseases.

6.Peppermint
Peppermint is an expectorant and a decongestant. It may offer some relief for mild asthma attacks, lessening bronchial constriction and making it easier to breathe. Peppermint promotes sweating, which could possibly help regulate body temperature during a fever, which is good news during cold and flu season.

D. Treatment with Homeopathy
Homeopathy have been proven to help relieve cold or flu. The homeopathy physician analyzes many factors, including the speed of onset of symptom, sensation, how the patient looks and his or her mental state.

1.Early stages of common cold and flu:

a) Aconite
This remedy is often prescribed for robust people, as well as those who eat meat often. Only 30c pellets under the tongue is needed to get a cold to disappear.

b) Belladonna
Belladonna is a remedy for serious symptoms of cold, flu, infection and sore throat.

c) Ferrum phosphoricum
This remedy is for people with a weak immune system. Cold and flu symptoms are not vague but uncomfortable. There might be a slight earache, running nose and a mild sore throat.

2. Mid-stage of cold and flu:
Cures For Common Cold
a) Allium Cepa
People with mid stage of cold are given allium cepa when their eyes are watery and clear but nose is red and irritated. Other symptoms include multiple sneezes and burning nasal discharge.

b)Natrum Muriaticum
Person has a thick, clear fluid discharge that resembles raw egg white. Lips are dry and cracked with cold sores on the side or outside of the mouth.

3. For advanced stages of cold and flu:

a) Arsenicum Album
People with symptoms of burning eyes, sinus, irritation in the nose, sneezing, extreme chill, restlessness and fever. This person feels worse at night and better in the morning.

b) Mercurius vivus
The cold is already in the advanced stage and the immune system is weakened. People have soar throats that feel with swallowing, as well as sneezing, bad cough, and night sweats.

c) Hepar Sulph
This remedy helps deep colds and flu when this turns into infection and sinusitis. The person is very chilly and there is often mucus in the lung with thick and yellow discharge. Antibiotics may be used.
I hope this information will help.
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A pictures of the common cold virus:

Structure Of Cold Virus:

Virulent form of cold virus:

Coughing helps to keep the mucus out of the lungs so you can console yourself as you cough throughout the night that it is having a beneficial effect. After three or four days the symptoms start to improve. This improvement is virtually inevitable – whether you have dosed yourself with penicillin, hot whiskey or just nothing. So just because your neighbor swears that swallowing six antibiotic capsules cured her cold in three days, don’t rush to stock up on antibiotics – her cold would have got better in three days even if she had flushed the six capsules down the toilet and drank six cups of hot water instead. If by some chance the symptoms of your cold do not improve in three or four days, it is wise to seek medical advice. A “Cold” that lasts a week or more is more likely to be Allergic Rhinitis (due to dust or other irritants) or a secondary infection.
Images result for cold virus
Sometimes harmful aggressive bacteria may attack the lining of your nose or throat after it has been damaged by the cold virus. This is what is known as Secondary Infection, and produces its own symptoms on top of the cold. The nasal discharge can thicken and become colored. If the cough becomes deep-seated, with yellow or green (purulent) sputum, or there are breathing difficulties, then a doctor should be consulted in case a chest infection is developing. Bacteria are responsible for this type of damage, and antibiotics may now become necessary to support the body’s own antibodies.

An antibody is a small entity that roams around the body in the bloodstream like a soldier on patrol. On finding an intruder (like a cold virus), it will attack and try to kill this foreign germ. If there are enough antibodies to kill all the intruders, the individual may never even know that his or her body had been invaded by foreign germs. On the other hand, if the invading germs outnumber the body’s antibodies, the person starts to feel unwell as his body’s defense services are fighting a losing battle. As time passes, however, the body produces more and more antibodies. Reinforced by these new recruits to its fighting force, the body will be able to destroy all the enemy invaders – and the individual starts feeling better again.