The Common Cold..

June 12, 2013

The common cold is usually caused by a viral infection. Doctors typically prescribe antibiotics to individuals experiencing a cold, however antibiotics are effective against bacteria not viruses. When a person is experiencing a cold, the main area affected is the upper respiratory tract that includes the throat, sinuses and nasal passages.

Some common symptoms of the cold include a combination of:

Sore throat
Sneezing
Cough
Red eyes
Headache
Blocked or runny nose
Many people tend to be more susceptible to developing a cold or flu during the colder months. This is most likely due to the fact that more people stay indoors during winter and there is increased proximity to people who are sick. During this time, it is important to eat good quality nourishing foods, stay warm and rested and to ensure stress levels are at a minimum to support the immune system. Immune boosting nutrients and herbs can provide additional support.

Below are a few tips that can help improve recovery time from a cold:

Stay hydrated – viruses thrive when the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract become dehydrated. Consuming more liquids will help to moisten the mucous membranes that will deter viral infections from getting a strong foothold.
Avoid sugar and processed foods – studies have shown that drinking or eating foods that are high in sugar compromise the immune systems ability to fight infection. Some people think that drinking a lot of orange juice during a cold will help to boost the immune system due to its vitamin C content. Unfortunately, the high amount of fructose (which is a fruit sugar) in the juice outweighs and counteracts the benefits of the vitamin C contained within it.
Drinking manuka honey with warm water and lemon can help to relieve a sore throat. Manuka honey also possesses natural anti bacterial, anti viral and anti fungal properties. As such it is useful in boosting the immune system and fighting off infections.
We’ve all heard the saying ‘prevention is better than cure’. This is doubly true when it comes to the immune system especially now that winter is upon us. For anyone interested in assessing how well their immune system is functioning, please come into Saltuary to do a zinc taste test. The test costs $5 and is a simple, quick and easy test that takes about a minute. It involves swishing or gargling a liquid solution and observing the taste that develops in your mouth. Depending on what you taste, this will help identify if the zinc status in the body is sufficient or deficient. If deficiency is observed a zinc supplement is needed to help correct this and usually re-testing is performed after one month of taking the supplement. This will help determine whether the supplement taken is being absorbed and utilised by the body effectively.

Despite consuming a healthy wholefood diet, it is extremely common for many Australians to be zinc deficient. This is due to the low levels of zinc in Australian soils so supplementation is important. Zinc is a tremendously important trace mineral involved in over one hundred enzymatic reactions inside the body and is necessary for proper cell function. It plays a pivotal role in maintaining healthy immune function and possesses antiviral properties. At the first sign of a cold or flu, zinc is a very useful nutrient to be taking to help ward off any infection.

At Saltuary, we stock high quality zinc liquid, zinc tablets and zinc lozenges. Please come in to enquire about these products. Zinc lozenges in particular can be effective in relieving a sore throat. We look forward to meeting you in store.

Bright blessings to you all,

Amy

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