You might be able to treat your cold without regular "Medicine"...

A couple of days ago, I came down with symptoms of a cold – the “common” cold.  This was after all three of my kids had or were already infected.  It probably started with my oldest kid – who in turn probably got it at the local germ cesspool known as a school where a whole bunch of other germy kids gather on a daily basis.

This cold was a little different as it took almost two weeks for me to get it after he had it – which meant the “incubation” time was 7-14 days – longer than most colds.  Probably it was Respiratory Sincytial Virus (RSV) which can be dangerous and even deadly in small infants.  In older children it causes a fairly intense cold and in adults it usually causes a minor illness – doesn’t really mean you don’t feel like garbage, you just don’t feel like you are going to die.

RSV is one of the most common causes of “croup” which is characterized by a barking and sometimes spasmodic cough.  In children, this often leads to a buildup of congestion – which can lead to infections such as ear and sinus infection, along with pneumonia.  I say it was probably RSV – but it could have been an adenovirus, a parainfluenza virus – or a number of others.  Point is RSV is not an emergency except in small children.  You should take your kid for treatment if they can’t breath, have a high fever, have been sick for more than a couple of days…etc.  Use your common sense or someone else’s if you have none of your own (apparently a lot of people don’t).

Aside from waiting until the bacteria have grown in the stagnant mucous – and aside from the over-the-counter meds that you can give or take, there are also a number of home or natural remedies that can help treat a cold – or even a worse infection such as the flu.

• MOST OBVIOUS – wash your hands frequently with soap.  DON’T touch nasty tissues or drink after someone else.  If you have touched something or someone – WASH YOUR HANDS and DO NOT touch your face or eat.
• Spending a little time in a steamy room – can help to moisten and liquefy mucous so that it can be coughed up, blown out or drained from ears (naturally) – remember how I feel about sputum.
• Going outside into the cold for a short period of time – this can help stop the coughing – don’t know why but my pediatrician recommended it.
• Netti Pot – this is an old (and I mean decades, maybe hundreds of years) remedy which involves buying a little tiny pot that you load up with warm, slightly salted water (about teaspoon of non-iodized salt and maybe ¼ teaspoon of baking SODA – not powder – if you think your water is acidic and most people’s is).  Then you “pour” the water into your nose and let it come out your mouth – the instructions come with the pot.  It washes out your sinuses – and I have one but frankly in about 5 years, I have been too scared to try it – and forget about trying to use it on your kids….You can also use a nasal syringe for this procedure and it supposedly works.
• Echinacea – Echinacea or “purple coneflower” is an herb that works to boost your immune system so that it will kick out the virus faster.  The downfall to this herb is that you should not take it for more than a week or so and only while you are sick.  Since it does boost the immune system – if you take it for a long period of time – it can “burn out” the immunity.  In addition, people who are allergic to chamomile, may be allergic to Echinacea.  Echinacea should also NOT be taken for the flu – as it may boost the immune system too much – resulting in hemorrhagic fever caused by an over-reaction of the immune system which can be severe and possibly fatal.
• Goldenseal – similar in activity to Echinacea, works for short term – mild illnesses but should not be taken for a long period and should not be taken for the flu as above.
• Elderberry extract – also called Sambucol, has “antivirin” which reportedly blocks viral entry in to cells.  It has been effective against the flu – and will likely work for other types of viral infections.
• Ginger – Best when fresh - contains over a dozen phytochemicals that have anti-inflammatory and antiviral activity – and may help to reduce fever – it is also good for the stomach
• Oreganol or Oil of Oregano – first thing is this is not plain Oregano – but the oil – and it stinks – or actually smells and tastes like the most oregano-y thing you have ever experienced.  When you get it on your hands (and you will), it won’t go away – and then you will probably burp “oregano”, experiencing it all again – BUT it has been shown to be effective against the flu and other viruses – some people think it cures a lot of other “stuff”
• Garlic – Fresh garlic is best – but slightly intolerable.  Contains a lot of sulfur compound which are antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal.  My husband chops it up and puts it in Apple Cider Vinegar – see the next thing…
• Apple Cider Vinegar – the natural, unfiltered kind.  Again, kind of nasty and very “Vinegar-y” but supposedly helps – especially if combined with fresh chopped garlic and ginger into a very gross slurry which is then consumed – but has a lot of good stuff including anti-infective properties.  (why do you think they make vinegar douches – different area of the body but still)
• Shiitake Mushroom – can be chopped or drank as a very nasty tea but has been used in Asia for years (probably thousands) and is believed to boost natural interferon levels to inhibit viral activity.
• Gargling with salt water – works the same as the netti pot but for the throat.
• Gargling and rinsing mouth out with dilute hydrogen peroxide – helps to sanitize the mouth and throat. This is something recommended by a family member – bubbles are kind of unpleasant but seemed effective.

Lastly

• Vitamin C – yes, the old standby – works to support the immune system – problem is that most people don’t take nearly enough.  The daily recommended amount is less than 100mg – and is only enough to prevent “scurvy” – you know the illness that sailors used to get because they didn’t have any fruit…..to use for its immune boosting activities – we are talking megadoses – 2-6 GRAMS per day.  Best if it is timed release.  Some people believe that this helps treat/prevent allergies and asthma – but that is anecdotal and not “proven”.

Now – the truth is, I did not do all these things (except for the Vitamin C) for these reasons:

• Netti Pot – seriously, I am scared of it – though I know someone who uses it on her kid who has a massive issue with a congenital narrowing of the sinus cavities which causes sinus infections all the time – still I am a wimp.
• Garlic, Ginger, Vinegar – I like all of these things – IN FOOD but not as a sludge to drink.  My husband swears by this but….I would have to be desperate.
• Sambuccol, Echinacea, Goldenseal – I haven’t got any and wasn’t sick enough to get some.
• Shiitake mushroom – I generally don’t keep them, wasn’t in a good enough mood to go to the grocery store, they are quite woody, don’t taste that good (kind of bitter) and the tea is vile.

So there you have it – natural, alternative, and home remedies for a cold – good luck and remember that I am NOT telling anyone to take this.

I use the resource Prescription for Natural Healing and Prescription for Herbal Healing – both of which are books by Phyllis Balch, CNC, deceased and used to be Co-authored by her husband James Balch, MD  – they aren’t available as an online resource but can be purchased from Amazon – or your local health food store.  Sometimes I also use The Green Pharmacy and finally - the site at the Mayo Clinic (which is often quite negative) and the University of Maryland Medical Center.