1. HOW YOU GETS INFECTED WITH COLD
The humble
cold is the most common infectious disease in the world.
It accounts
for more absences from school and work than any other illness.
It is the
leading cause of patient visits to physicians.
It is not
easy to catch a cold. Yeah .. you heard that right ..
Your body's
natural defenses usually fight off these viruses.
There is a
direct relation between your risk of catching a cold and the
amount of time spent in contact with an infected person.
That is why
families tend to get sick together.
The most
common route of infection is not from coughing or sneezing, or
walking barefoot in the rain,
but from
hand-to-hand contact.
That is why
when you have a cold, washing your hands frequently is so
important. The likelihood of you becoming a victim of the cold
virus increases however, if you are overtired or physically
exhausted.
Children
under two generally get 10-12 colds a year,
especially
if they are in daycare.
Older
children and young adults get about 6 colds per year.
After the
age of 30 the number starts to decrease to about two per year.
2. How Long Will It Last?
Most
uncomplicated colds last between eight and nine days, but
about 25% last two weeks, and 5-10% last three weeks.
3. What Should I Do for Treatment?
1.
As long as your temperature remains below 102 F there is
no need to lower it.
Cold
viruses do not reproduce at higher body temperatures.
A slight
fever should actually help you get rid of the virus quicker
and feel better much sooner.
2.
A study (J
Infect Dis Dec 1990) showed that people who take aspirin and
Tylenol (acetaminophen) suppress their body's ability to
produce antibodies to destroy the cold virus.
You should
only use these medications if you have a temperature greater
than 105 F, severe muscle aches or weakness.
3.
Chicken
soup
does help the symptoms.
Chicken
contains a natural amino acid called cysteine.
Cysteine
can thin the mucus in the lungs and make it less sticky so it
you can be expel it more easily.
Campbell's
soup won't work as well as the homemade version.
Make the
soup hot and spicy with plenty of pepper.
The spices
will trigger a sudden release of watery fluids in the mouth,
throat, and lungs.
This will
help thin down the respiratory mucus, so it's easier to cough
up and expel.
4.
Rest. It is important to rest and take it easy
throughout the time you are ill. The time you are ill may be
longer if you do not allow yourself to recuperate and recover
completely.
If you
exercise regularly, you needn't stop. However, you should
definitely cut back on the intensity until you feel better.
5.
Wash your hands frequently and try to keep them away
from your nose and eyes. Use disposable tissues as opposed to
cloth handkerchiefs. If you are caring for a child with a
cold, PLEASE WASH YOUR HANDS every time you have to wipe their
nose.
This will
protect you from being infected.
Dove soap
is the mildest soap that you can use for this purpose.
6.
Drink
plenty of fluids.
Water is
the best. Try to drink at least eight to ten glasses a day.
This will
help the stuffiness and help the secretions loosen.
Avoid using
tap water, use bottled or filtered water to limit your
exposure to chlorine.
You can put
lemon juice in your water or also try green tea as a water
alternative
7.
If you are
congested
and can't
breathe very well because your nose is plugged up,
we
recommend the decongestant Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) .
We can give
you a 12 hour preparation that also has guaifenesin to help
you breath better.
You must be
careful and make sure the medicine is out of your system
before bedtime. Most people will not sleep well on Sudafed and
sleep is what will make you better.
You can use
otrivin nasal spray (or generic equivalent) at
night.
This spray
will open up your nose without interfering with your sleep.
8.
However, if you are not congested and "drowning" in nasal
discharge an
antihistamine will help dry up the secretions.
Please note
that there are two problems with non-prescription
antihistamines (such as Chlor-Trimeton (chlorphenairamine) and
Benadryl).
They can
put you to sleep. This isn't a difficulty at night but might
be in the day. We encourage you to minimize their use because
they can also increase your risk of developing a secondary
sinus infection by thickening the nasal secretions and
impairing drainage.
9. It will be very important to
stop all
milk products.
This
includes not only milk, but ice cream, all yogurt except
plain, and especially cheese.
Lactaid
milk is NOT acceptable.
This step
is helpful to decrease the extra mucous that dairy products
can cause you to produce.
10.
Eating
refined sugars weakens your immune system
and promotes yeast overgrowth. This includes ALL non-diet pops
which have eight teaspoons of sugar per can.
and other
refined carbohydrates
are known
promoters of yeast growth.
Reducing or
eliminating these in your diet will help your immune system.
However,
you need not become obsessive about the sugar.
If it is
the 4th or 5th ingredient in a food, that would probably be
acceptable.
11. Many people will start to drink large amounts of
orange juice when they are sick. All the simple sugars
(fructose) in the juice will actually make you worse.
If you feel
the need to take extra vitamin C please read #13.
Try to
avoid ALL juices, including organic juices or ones
with no sugar added;
Gatorade
type sports drinks also need to be avoided.
If you must
have a juice use diluted organic apple juice;
do NOT use
orange juice as it is the most allergic fruit.
12. Researchers have shown
zinc
lozenges reduce the severity and duration of cold
symptoms,
particularly a sore throat.
They
believe the zinc is directly toxic to the virus and stimulates
your body to produce antibodies to destroy the virus.
They seem
to work for about three out of four colds.
You can
suck on ONE-QUATER of a zinc lozenges every thirty minutes.
Do not chew
the tablets and swallow them directly as they won't work.
If you feel nausea you should stop the zinc immediately as it
is a sign of toxicity.
13.
Extra
vitamin C is also helpful.
You can
take 500-2,000 mg every 1-2 hours.
The only
side effect you may have are loose stools at higher doses.
If this
happens decreasing the dose will quickly clear up the
symptoms.
14.
Vitamin A
in large doses may be helpful.
200,000
units twice a day for FIVE days. (eight of the 25,000 unit
capsules twice a day).
Children
can take half the dose.
Even though
vitamin A is oil soluble this dose is very safe if not taken
for long periods.
However if
you are pregnant you should not use it.
15.
Garlic is
an excellent natural antibiotic.
Garlic
Pearls capsules
is one of the best brands.
You might
use six capsules four times a day for several days.
Eichinacea
is the most widely used herbal medication in Europe for
colds and
infections. It contains inulin which enhances the production
of immunoglobulins.
Astralgalas
and goldenseal also enhance the immune system and are widely
used in Europe and China for infections.
16.
Essential
fatty acids like flax oil should also be taken regularly.
This will
help your immune system build the proper antibodies.
Why Should
I Avoid An Antibiotic?
More than
300 different viruses can cause colds.
Each time
you have a cold it is caused by a distinct virus
(i.e.
adenovirus, rhinovirus, parainfluenza virus, coronavirus).
A virus is
much smaller than a bacteria.
It is a
tiny cluster of genetic material surrounded by a protein
wrapper.
Medical
science currently does not have any drugs that can kill these
viruses. Antibiotics, including penicillin,
DO NOT
have any
effect on viruses.
We only use
them to treat the secondary bacterial infections that can
complicate a cold.
When Should I Call the Office?
Sinus, ear
and lung infections (bronchitis and pneumonia) are examples of
bacterial infections that do respond to antibiotics.
If you
develop any of the following symptoms you should call your
doctor
.
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