No one wants to get sick.
And everyone in the history of anyone getting a cold has wanted something that makes it go away FAST.
It’s when you first get that scratchy throat or at the first sign of a runny nose that you’ve got to act ridiculously fast. Like at that moment where you have that “Huh. That doesn’t feel right” feeling.
So let’s get you over your cold fast. Here are the cold remedies that work fast.
Here are the essential vitamins to kick your body into high healing mode.
Keep these in your medicine cabinet, keep a stash at work. I’d even make sure you have a steady supply in the car.
You don’t want to miss that AT FIRST SIGN window, which is your one and only big shot at reducing the length and strength of a cold.
Vitamin A
A primary job of this fat-soluble vitamin and antioxidant is to repair and maintain mucus membranes. Without vitamin A, our body can’t effectively use the protein we give it – and protein is what makes up the nuts and bolts of our immune system.
Take this at first sign of getting sick, and then leave it alone once you’re feeling better. Too much for too long is no good. Max dose is 15,000IU/day (10,000IU, if you’re pregnant)
Zinc
When a cold is just starting to kick in, zinc can help support the fight that’s just about to jump off inside of you. There’s a lot of evidence that it’ll reduce the length of your cold, and that’s no small thing. Zinc boosts the immune system and is also key for protein synthesis, especially when it comes to healing wounds. It’s also key part of vitamin A transport, so it’ll enhance the effectiveness of the vitamin A you’ve just started taking.
Zinc lozenges have been shown to be more beneficial than oral supplements, so stick with the zinc-filled cough drops. Look for those made of zinc gluconate and zinc acetate, 9-23mg every 2-3 hours for a max of 2 weeks. NOTE: skip the lozenges with citric acid, sorbitol or mannitol. All these can inhibit the absorption of zinc, making your cough drops worthless.
If you’re taking oral zinc, stick with zinc picolinate or zinc citrate, taking it no more than 15mg of zinc 3hrs x 3 days. Then bring that down that to 15mg every 4hrs x 1 week. DO NOT take more than 100mg/day.
Vitamin C
We love to tell people to get enough orange juice, but vitamin C is not going to cure your cold once it’s started. But, like taking Vitamin A and Zinc at first sign, there’s a good chance it can shorten the duration of your cold. This antiviral and antihistamine plays an essential role in immune function. Vitamin C and zinc also have a synergistic effect, so taking vitamin C is able to increase zinc balance. You like how all these are working together?
Therapeutic doses of vitamin C range from 5000-20,000/day, but don’t take it all at once. 500mg at a time is all your body can handle at once, so you’ll probably just end up with diarrhea as your body tries to get rid of the extra. Break it up into 500mg, 3-5 times a day and you’ll be way better off. If you’re curious, there’s about 300mg of vitamins C in a 20oz glass of OJ, so take your supplement out side of this.
Essential herbs to keep your cold in check
Elderberry
This is a strong antioxidant, great for upper respiratory tract infections. It’s even good if you’re one of those people who end up with headaches every time you get a cold. It also promotes sweating during a fever helping your body get rid of the things that are making you feel bad. Aim for about 600-900mg/day at first sign of a cold to support healing.
If you always get sick when you travel, elderberry is for you. Take for about 10 days before flying and then another 4-5 days after for best effects.
Goldenseal
This antibacterial root has been shown to fight inflammation and infection, two hallmarks of a cold or flu. It’s also known to improve digestion and helping our body get everything moving through and out of it, can also help keep getting sick in check. It’s best if taken at first sign of getting sick, but don’t take longer than 1 week. Also avoid if you’re pregnant of breast-feeding. There’s no standard recommended dosage. So pick a high quality brand, and follow the package directions.
Astragalus
We call this an adaptogen. Adaptogens help support, protect and strengthen our body’s response to stress. This special little root has been shown not only to boost the immune system with its antiviral and antibacterial activities, but can reduce the severity and length of a cold or flu. Other perks? It can help lower blood sugar levels, improves wound healing and even has been shown to reduce the size of tumors. Follow the directions for dosage on the type you pick (tincture, capsules, etc). Just don’t take if you’ve got a fever.
Echinacea
Known and loved, you’ve probably heard of echinacea a million times. This root has been shown to be great at fighting inflammation, and both bacterial and viral infections by stimulating the immune system. If you’re going to take this, take it as an alcohol-free liquid. Hold it in your mouth and let it absorb directly into your system. Like most of the other things on this list, it’s not for long-term use. Don’t take for more than 3 weeks.
Eat this to help you feel better and heal faster
Garlic
What can’t garlic do? Known for its ability to stimulate the immune system, it’s also a natural antibiotic, antifungal and antiviral. Garlic works best if it’s eaten regularly in fresh form. It’s not going to cure a cold, but if you eat it on a regular basis you’ll probably get way less sick to begin with. Use fresh and crushed to release the antiviral activity found in these cloves. You can also find odorless supplements to help you stay at the party while you’re taking garlic.
Honey
This antiseptic can help relieve some symptoms of colds and coughing. It’s so effective at healing, it can even be used as a salve for healing burns and wounds. 10g honey can improve upper respiratory infection, especially nocturnal cough when taken before bedtime.
Don’t get sick in the first place
Before we go, let’s make sure you’ve checked off a couple healthy habits that can make or break your best efforts.
First, get enough sleep.
The recommendation is 7 hours a night. But really, just sleep enough so you’re not exhausted every minute of every day. We shouldn’t be fueling our entire lives with coffee. And if you are, it’s a good sign there hasn’t been enough sleep in your life.
Getting enough rest outweighs everything else we’ll ever do to NOT get sick.
Why? Because when we sleep is when we heal. When we rest, we regenerate. At night, our body gets kicked out of go-mode and switches off all the hormones that keep us ready to move fast. Instead it switches into a state of repair. Without the chance to stop and give our body the time it needs to recover and replenish itself, we’ll never have a chance to optimize our immune system and do the hard work of keeping ourselves healthy. No matter how many supplements we inhale.
Second is washing your hands.
I mean washing them WELL and not just a quick rinse under some lukewarm water. I’m talking about a good hand wash that uses soap and HOT water and a solid 20 second scrub. And washing them ALL THE TIME. Before you eat. After you go shopping. Whenever you’ve been in contact with a bunch of people.
The same way sleep allows the body to repair, hand washing allows your body to avoid having to do the hard work in the first place. Hand sanitizer can work in a pinch, but nothing beats good old-fashioned soap and water.
You’ll get rid of MORE germs this way. You’ll literally wash away the things you don’t want, and if you do it right, you’ll get them all (instead of the 99.99% from hand sanitizer).
Third, stay active.
Moving loosens mucus build up and gets you breathing better when you’ve been inside and stuffed up. You don’t have to go to the gym or start jogging. An easy walk outside will usually be exactly what you need.
Ok, there it is. Everything you need to do today to AVOID getting sick, and everything you’ll need tomorrow when you’re suddenly fighting a cold that came out of no where.
Click here for all this info in a free simple checklist that you can print out and stick on your fridge.
Stay healthy everyone!