Coping with the common cold

By MiNDFOOD

Coping with the common cold
The cold is one of the most common illnesses affecting adults and children and it’s very difficult to develop resistance to it.

Colds are spread by air droplets from coughs and sneezes, and by touching infected surfaces. A cold is contagious from 1-2 days before symptoms begin (making it super important to keep going with those good hygiene practices) and continuing to be contagious until the symptoms have stopped (so please stay home if you feel unwell).

Colds can last up to 10 days with common symptoms including a runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, slight body aches and a low grade fever. And of course they can make you feel absolutely miserable.

While medication cannot cure a cold, some remedies such as certain vitamins and herbs have been shown to reduce the severity and duration of cold symptoms so you can get back to normal life more quickly. Other remedies like decongestants and ibuprofen can help relieve the symptoms.

Ways to reduce the severity and duration of cold symptoms
No one wants to endure a cold any longer than they have to, so these remedies may assist the recovery process.

  • Drink plenty of hot fluids like caffeine-free tea and chicken soup, as well as water to stay hydrated.
  • Healthdirect recommends you get extra rest when you have a cold so your body can focus on fighting it.
  • Research has shown that the use of certain herbs and vitamins may reduce the severity and duration of cold symptoms. Echinacea is one herb that – depending on the species, part of plant used and method of manufacturing – has been shown to be effective for cold prevention and treatment. One study by the University of Connecticut, published in the British Medical Journal, The Lancet, showed that echinacea can cut the chance of catching the common cold by 58 per cent and reduces the duration of the common cold by 1.4 days. Conducted by researchers in UConn’s School of Pharmacy, the study combined the results of 14 previous clinical trials involving more than 1,300 patients followed for echinacea’s effect on preventing the common cold and more than 1,600 patients followed for echinacea’s effect on limiting the duration of the common cold. “The take home message from our study is that echinacea does indeed have powerful cold prevention and cold treatment benefits,” said Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice Craig Coleman, the lead author of the study.

Esberitox
Esberitox® contains a combination of herbs which clinical studies have shown can help reduce the duration and severity of common cold symptoms by 2 – 3 days. In one randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 263 people with common cold, Esberitox® 3X3 tablets demonstrated a rapid onset of improvement of cold symptoms. [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10621929]

Esberitox contains two types of echinacea, Echinacea purpurea and Echinacea pallida, as well as Baptisia and Thuja.

ALWAYS READ THE LABEL. FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS FOR USE. IF SYMPTOMS PERSIST TALK TO YOUR HEALTH PROFESSIONAL.

And don’t forget about COVID-19
Symptoms such as a sore throat, cough, fever, runny nose, headache and muscle or joint pain that are commonly associated with cold and flu season may also be experienced by people with COVID-19. Because of this, it is important that people experiencing these symptoms take appropriate precautions.
• It is important that you stay at home if you feel unwell. You should also continue to practise good hygiene.
• If you have cold or flu-like symptoms you should seek medical advice and get tested for COVID-19.
• If you have COVID-19 you must isolate and follow the directions of your local Public Health Unit.

www.esberitox.com.au

Health stories on MiNDFOOD.com are intended as reference only. MiNDFOOD does not presume to give medical advice. Consult a qualified health practitioner before beginning any therapeutic program. 

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