Natural Ways to Prevent Colds and Flus

Catching a cold or flu is almost inevitable for a lot of us over the winter months! Luckily there’s lots of ways you can easily support your immune system to help it do its job – fight off bugs before they turn into a full blown cold or flu. Below are some of my basic suggestions to keep you happy and healthy over the season. Of course, its always important to discuss starting any new herbs, supplements, diet, etc with a healthcare professional to ensure what you are doing will be safe and effective for you. As well, If you are someone who gets sick very frequently, it’s always worth having a full work-up with your family doctor or ND to make sure there isn’t something else more going on!

Vitamin C and Echinacea – Do they work?

The research is a little mixed on these two, despite how popular they are touted to be for preventing colds and flus. Here are some of the takeaway points from what we do know:

VITAMIN C

- May NOT be effective in the average individual to supplement on a regular basis, for the means of prevention

- May consider supplementing on a regular basis in high-level athletes – They likely have a higher requirement for Vitamin C (which works as an anti-oxidant), and this is one population where daily supplementation has been shown to reduce the frequency of the common cold

- May be useful when taking acutely, at the first sign of cold/flu symptoms – Can help decrease the duration of colds (on average, by about a day)

- Try to attain through your diet – bell peppers, kiwis, kale, citrus, lots of fruits and veggies

ECHINACEA (Echinacea purpurea)

- Some studies show it may reduce the frequency of the common cold when taken for a 4 month period

- Can also be useful to take acutely when you first feel symptoms to help reduce the duration and severity of your cold

- There are two species of Echinacea – Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea augustifolia – Most of the research has been done on the *purpurea one, so we can say with more confidence that this is effective and what to look for on product labels

Other important nutrients:

Vitamin D

- Many important functions in the body – immune health is a big one

- Those who are deficient get sick more often with respiratory illness – As Canadians, deficiency is pretty common based on our short summers and poor food sources

- Have your levels tested! This helps us know what dose will be best for you – if you are very deficiency a higher dose will be needed to improve your stores and see a benefit faster. There are also side effects with having too much Vitamin D, so it’s important o have this checked before loading up.

- Look for a product in an oil base for best absorption

Zinc:

- This is another important nutrient for proper immune function. It helps our immune cells fight off viruses and bacteria, and is directly antiviral itself

- NOT shown to be beneficial when taken on a regular basis for the means of prevention, and there are also some risks and side effects with taking Zinc long term

- Can use at the first sign of symptoms and short-term to help get over viral infections faster

- Many people find zinc lozenges effective for sore throats

Other Herbs:

- There are many, many other herbs that have been used traditionally to help prevention infection and support our immune systems – some of the most common ones include: Panax ginseng, Panax quinquefolius (the main ingredient in COLD Fx), Astragalus membranaceus, Eletherococcus senticosus

- Each herb has other unique effects – I usually suggest some of these herbs to individuals that need added immune support, ie they have some other health concerns, are under a lot of stress, elderly individuals, and those prone to getting infections or exposed frequently to infections.

- Many of these are “adaptogenic” herbs – meaning they help combat some of the negative effects chronic stress can have on our health and energy

Mushrooms:

- Some examples of immune boosting medicinal mushrooms - Cordyceps, Coriolus, Reishi

- Similar to the other herbs, these have traditional use in boosting your immune function

- Contain B-glucans – lots of research to support the immune stimulating action of this compound

- Incorporating mushrooms into your diet on a regular basis has also been shown to boost immune function – white button mushrooms, shitake, maitake mushrooms are all great

Diet:

- From a Chinese Medicine Perspective its suggested to switch our diet a bit with the change of seasons – focus on Including lots of warm, well-cooked foods – think soups, stews, curries, bone broth (This takes a lot of the work out of digestion so its easier for our bodies to absorb all the nutrients we need

- Add lots of warming spices to foods – cinnamon, ginger, cayenne, to help with digestion and also overall circulation

- Avoid / minimize sugar, white breads/pastas, processed foods – we know sugar can interfere with the normal functioning of our immune cells so it’s important to be mindful of!

*Raw honey is okay in moderation – still a form of sugar but has some antimicrobial and other properties that can help when we are acutely sick

Lifestyle:

- Manage stress, get enough sleep + listen to your body, exercise regularly! When we are taking care of ourselves and our overall health, we are taking care of our immune system and allowing it to work as it should

- Addressing your other health concerns – ie diabetes, digestive concerns, other chronic diseases. If you are not managing any other health conditions well, this is an added stress on your body which can impair proper immune function

- Diffusing essential oils (especially when someone in the house is sick to prevent spread) – Eucalyptus, Thyme, Oregano oil, will help kill bugs In the air

- Contrast showers to improve circulation and lymphatic flow – Alternating between ~2 mins hot and 30 sec blast of cold, for 2-3 cycles, always ending on the cold (Sounds awful but it works! And is also a very energizing way to start your day.)

Is there anything else you do to help ward off colds and flus? Feel free to leave a comment or any questions below!