natural remedies for cold

Never convenient and always the cause of profuse misery, upwards of a billion colds
occur every year in the United States.



 Approximately 60 million days of school are
missed and 50 million days of work are lost costing 25 billion dollars in lost productivity.
Colds are the leading cause of doctor visits with over 60 percent of patients receiving
antibiotics even though the cold is caused by a virus, not bacteria. Antibiotics are not
effective against viruses.
While there are products that lessen the severity and shorten the
duration of colds, there is no cure – which may be a good thing.
Colds offer the body an opportunity a natural way to cleanse.
Some health experts believe that an occasional cold may prevent
more serious illnesses from occurring. It also offers a chance for
a person to slow down and get rest, giving the body a chance to
rejuvenate and build its defenses against more serious viral
invasions such as the flu.
Another reason cold cures are not available is because like the
flu, colds can result from over a 100 viruses with signs and symptoms varying greatly.
The most common is the rhino virus, which is highly contagious. Touching your eyes,
nose or mouth after contact or exposure will likely ensure that you will catch a cold since
it is usually through the mouth or nose that colds are caught. Once you are infected a
single cold virus can have sixteen million offspring within 24 hours. Most cold or flu
remedies work by slowing or stopping the replication of the virus.
Runny noses, sneezing, sore or itch throats, coughs, watery eyes, mild fatigue, lowgrade
fevers are all symptoms of the common cold. Many of these discomforts are
caused by the body trying to fight the virus. In the process of attack, white blood cells
release a chemical to alert other white blood cells of the fight called histamine. This
discharge is irritating to the body's surrounding tissue and produces redness, swelling,
irritation, and heat. Taking medications to “dry” up a cold however, may impede the
body's fight against the virus. One interesting note on colds is that you
can actually have a cold and have none of the common symptoms.
The best cure for a cold is prevention

 Frequently wash your hands,and keep your hands and fingers out of your mouth and nose. Always
use tissues to blow your nose, cough, or sneeze. That way, your
mouth and nose is covered without infecting your hands. Always throw
dirty tissues in the garbage. Don't share eating utensils or drinking
glasses with others. Keep children at home when they are sick

natural remedies for cold

While there are many home remedies reported for colds, it seems one of the best is
chicken soup. Research does show that chicken quills do actually produce a chemical
somewhat effective against the common cold. Chicken soup does act as an antiinflammatory
by inhibiting the movement of neutrophils. Secondly, it speeds up the
movement of mucus through the nose, helping relieve congestion and limiting the time
viruses are in contact with the nasal lining. If you add a few sticks of astragalus, you
also boost your body's immune system, helping it fight off the virus.
Common alternative remedies for cold include zinc, echinacea, and vitamin C
 All three ingredients are
helpful and can greatly reduce severity and duration of colds.
One of the best cold remedies is elderberry. Modern research shows
that this herb
possesses the ability to actually block the replication of the viruses. A virus coats itself
in a protein covering that allows it to dock and enter body cells. Once inside replication
occurs until the cell is destroyed, releasing newly formed viruses. It seems that
elderberry covers the protein coating on the virus preventing access into the cell. By
blocking the virus from entering a cell, it stops its replication. High quality elderberry
provides a powerful defense against viruses including the cold and flu virus.
Other cold remedies to consider are garlic, oregano, andrographis, lemon balm, golden
seal, myrrh, astragalus, ginger, peppermint, yarrow, and eucalyptus oil.