What should I eat/drink to preemptively stop a cold?
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M$14 Answers
There are several levels at which you can minimize exposure to the virus. These include frequent handwashing, avoiding close contact with someone who is sick, and avoiding contact with runny noses, soiled kleenex and hankies (this is for the daycare providers and school teachers who might be reading this). Avoid putting fingers in your nose or rubbing eyes with dirty hands.
You also want to make yourself less susceptible to illness. Remember the basics: get 7-8 hours of sleep everynight, eat a healthy diet, and avoid chilling. While exposure to cold is not a cause of the common cold, physical stressors can tip the scales if your body has been exposed to a virus. So, if you are feeling a bit under the weather, take a break from your most vigorous workout, or avoid getting very chilled (to the point that you are shivering and feeling uncomfortable).
Another recommendation is to keep your nasal passages moist. If you are in an area with low humidity in the winter, your nasal passages become dry and can develop small cracks. This increases your risk for infection. So, drink plenty of fluids to keep membranes moist. And, use small amounts of a petroleum jelly and a Q-Tip to swab the inside of your nose.
One study found that sudden chilling of the feet made subjects more likely to get a cold, so get out the warm socks.
Also of interest: low levels of Vitamin D have been recently found to be associated with getting sick, so it might be good to take 2000 IU of Vitamin D daily during the winter months.
If you think you have been exposed, one intervention that might help is to do a nasal rinse. A wise ENT doctor once told me that he did this whenever he felt like he was getting a cold, and he swore it worked. Get a Neti pot (or other nasal rinsing device-- you can find them at drug stores) and rinse with warm saline water. This presumably removes some of the viral secretions.
A few other ideas:
There are many vitamin and herbal products that claim to boost your immune system. Talk to a reputable herbalist to find a product that will help you be less susceptible to illness. Lomatium, echinacea, green tea extract, and elderberry are just a few.
A multivitamin can't hurt, and may help balance out nutritional deficiencies.
Reduce stress. You may have heard of the Holmes and Raye Stress Scale. It measures the amount and types of stress you have experienced in the past year. Basically, the higher your score, the more likely you will get sick. The take home message: you can't always avoid life stressors, but you can do everything possible to alleviate the effects of stress.
If you do get a cold, remember, it only lasts 10-14 days. Get plenty of sleep, fluids, and avoid passing it to others (Stay home from work if you can). And eat plenty of chicken soup.
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M$
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M$
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M$
Make sure they're the healthiest versions you can get, though - not too many additives - not too much added sugar, etc.
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M$Eat:
Foods Containing Phytochemicals - "Phyto" means plants, and the natural chemicals in plants give the vitamins in food a supercharged boost. Eat dark green, red, and yellow vegetables and fruits.
Yogurt - Some studies have shown that eating a daily cup of low-fat yogurt can reduce your susceptibility to colds by 25 percent. Researchers think the beneficial bacteria in yogurt may stimulate production of immune system substances that fight disease.
Veggies - Especially the colorful (think bell peppers and carrots) and dark green (think spinach) kind. If you are like most people, you are probably not eating enough of your veggies. Though a salad may not be as enticing as a slice of pizza, consider that a salad probably tastes better than a spoonful of antibiotics.
"While an apple a day won't keep the doctor away, heaping the plate with broccoli, spinach and oranges might be just what the doctor ordered. Colorful fruits and vegetables are sources of the antioxidants, including beta carotene, vitamin E, selenium and vitamin C. The antioxidants work together to boost the immune response and increase resistance to infection, colds and flu bugs. Ample intake of beta carotene-rich foods, such as carrots, apricots and broccoli, also maintains the skin and mucous linings in the nose and lungs, which are the body's first line of defense against germs. Most people don’t get enough of these foods and would do well to double or even triple current intake to at least 8, and preferably 10, servings daily. Simple immune-boosting snacks include:
* Smoothie made with persimmons, OJ concentrate and yogurt
* One-half honeydew melon filled with lemon yogurt
* Top low-fat ice cream with a cup of thawed blueberries
* Dunk baby carrots in peanut butter or red pepper slices in hummus
* Stuff dried plums with almonds for a sweet and chewy alternative to a candy bar
* Quench your thirst with OJ or tomato juice instead of soft drinks
* Pack a black bean burrito with baby spinach, tomatoes and salsa
* Add frozen or leftover vegetables to canned soups
Next, cut back on meat and full-fat dairy products, as well as many processed foods in order to keep saturated-fat intake low. While low-fat diets stimulate the immune system and help ward off the common cold, typical American diets high in saturated fat increase a person's susceptibility to colds and the flu. "
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Drink:
Lots of Water - If your body is an expensive car, water is the high-quality oil that keeps everything running at optimum level. Minimum 8 glasses of water a day.
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Supplements:
"While you can get all the vitamin C you need from foods to help you prevent the common cold, you might need to supplement with this vitamin once you feel a cold coming on. A large number of studies have verified that vitamin C might not prevent the cold from happening, but it does help curb its severity and duration. The effective dose here is about 500 milligrams to 2,000 milligrams daily, starting at the first signs of a cold and taken in divided doses. That’s only for adults; young children are much more susceptible to toxicity effects from vitamins and minerals, so keep their intake to within recommended levels or discuss higher doses with your physician."
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Also, take a look at http://wendihiebert.com/2009/01/10/what-to-eat-or-drink-or-do-during-cold-and-flu-season/
Regards!
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M$
Right, just to avoid any accusations of plagiarism, simply follow the Copy and Pasting on Mahalo guidelines
This answer is completely copied and pasted with no original text. Moreover, it uses improper attribution for the five sources listed.
As stated before, your direct quotes do not give proper attribution:
Foods Containing Phytochemicals - "Phyto" means plants, and the natural chemicals in plants give the vitamins in food a supercharged boost. Eat dark green, red, and yellow vegetables and fruits. http://www.google.com/search?q=Foods+Containing+Phytochemicals+-+%22Phyto%22+means+plants%2C+and+the+natural+chemicals+in+plants+give+the+vitamins+in+food+a+supercharged+boost.+Eat+dark+green%2C+red%2C+and+yellow+vegetables+and+fruits.&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
Yogurt - Some studies have shown that eating a daily cup of low-fat yogurt can reduce your susceptibility to colds by 25 percent. Researchers think the beneficial bacteria in yogurt may stimulate production of immune system substances that fight disease.
http://www.google.com/search?q=Yogurt+-+Some+studies+have+shown+that+eating+a+daily+cup+of+low-fat+yogurt+can+reduce+your+susceptibility+to+colds+by+25+percent.+Researchers+think+the+beneficial+bacteria+in+yogurt+may+stimulate+production+of+immune+system+substances+that+fight+disease.&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
Veggies - Especially the colorful (think bell peppers and carrots) and dark green (think spinach) kind. If you are like most people, you are probably not eating enough of your veggies. Though a salad may not be as enticing as a slice of pizza, consider that a salad probably tastes better than a spoonful of antibiotics.
http://www2.intent.com/yumi/blog/9-easy-cold-prevention-tips-coming-fall-season
"While an apple a day won't keep the doctor away, heaping the plate with broccoli, spinach and oranges might be just what the doctor ordered. Colorful fruits and vegetables are sources of the antioxidants, including beta carotene, vitamin E, selenium and vitamin C. The antioxidants work together to boost the immune response and increase resistance to infection, colds and flu bugs. Ample intake of beta carotene-rich foods, such as carrots, apricots and broccoli, also maintains the skin and mucous linings in the nose and lungs, which are the body's first line of defense against germs. Most people don’t get enough of these foods and would do well to double or even triple current intake to at least 8, and preferably 10, servings daily. Simple immune-boosting snacks include:
http://www.amnorthwest.tv/display.cfm?CID=1100
* Smoothie made with persimmons, OJ concentrate and yogurt
* One-half honeydew melon filled with lemon yogurt
* Top low-fat ice cream with a cup of thawed blueberries
* Dunk baby carrots in peanut butter or red pepper slices in hummus
* Stuff dried plums with almonds for a sweet and chewy alternative to a candy bar
* Quench your thirst with OJ or tomato juice instead of soft drinks
* Pack a black bean burrito with baby spinach, tomatoes and salsa
* Add frozen or leftover vegetables to canned soups
Next, cut back on meat and full-fat dairy products, as well as many processed foods in order to keep saturated-fat intake low. While low-fat diets stimulate the immune system and help ward off the common cold, typical American diets high in saturated fat increase a person's susceptibility to colds and the flu. "
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22635662/
Lots of Water - If your body is an expensive car, water is the high-quality oil that keeps everything running at optimum level. Minimum 8 glasses of water a day.
http://www2.intent.com/yumi/blog/9-easy-cold-prevention-tips-coming-fall-season
"While you can get all the vitamin C you need from foods to help you prevent the common cold, you might need to supplement with this vitamin once you feel a cold coming on. A large number of studies have verified that vitamin C might not prevent the cold from happening, but it does help curb its severity and duration. The effective dose here is about 500 milligrams to 2,000 milligrams daily, starting at the first signs of a cold and taken in divided doses. That’s only for adults; young children are much more susceptible to toxicity effects from vitamins and minerals, so keep their intake to within recommended levels or discuss higher doses with your physician."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22635662/
Your answer is completely copied and pasted. Everything is directly quoted without giving the source for each quote. One source, http://www.amnorthwest.tv/display.cfm?CID=1100, is not even included in your list. This is called plagiarism.
As you requested, you can expect me to verify all of your sources in the future.
"Shinju", when commenting about something, take at least a moment to READ what you are commenting about, and CHECK the sources, BEFORE asseverating something inadequate and inaccurate.
Boris Kalimasov.
personal experience
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M$
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M$
1. Ginger Root - straight up! (This is my favorite so far - now that I'm used to it.)
Ginger ale is a common way to cure a queasy stomach and keep you hydrated, but most ginger ale sodas have sugar in them and a ton of additives. By buying ginger root in it's basic form (the actual root) cuts out the consumption of sugar and additives that are in soda. If you slice a small piece of the root off (after shaving the skin off like you would a potato or carrot) and suck on it, you'll immediately feel the kick of the spice. It may even clear your sinuses! It's very strong stuff so start off small and don't bite into it until you're ready for swift kick! It usually makes my eyes water just a little and sometimes initially it makes me cough from the strength of it, but so far it seems to be working! I try to eat a slice every day.
For a milder way to consume fresh ginger, boil a few slices into a pot of water for about 5-10 minutes and pour into a glass with a small amount of honey and lemon. I personally like to flavor my Earl Grey by boiling 5-6 slices of ginger into my water! I love the strength of the ginger flavor and for me, the stronger the better!
2. Pure Garlic Clove!
One garlic clove a day is supposed to help fight off colds and promote digestive health. I haven't been brave enough to try this one yet, but I heard that crushing a full clove of garlic into applesauce makes it easier to consume. I am planning on trying it one day though. I'll even put up with the bad breath if it'll keep me from getting sick in the fall and winter months!
3. The Neti Pot!
My cousin swears by it! Frankly, this is a disgusting way of cleansing your sinuses! I've tried it a few times and it's surprisingly effective, especially after a cold has set in, but I imagine the preventative benefits are amazing!
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M$
I also like to have a chicken soup.
So, I recommend you both.
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M$Once you have the virus drinking plenty of fluids (64 ounces of water per day), getting enough rest and treating your symptoms will help feel better and allow your body to clear the infection. Warm drinks or cold drinks can help a sore throat, go with which ever one feels the best to you.
cdc.gov
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M$
Other great foods for this issue include:
Certain mushrooms like portobello, cremini and white button.
Barley
Garlic (a natrual antibacterial)
Tea with honey
Peppers
Sweet potatoes
Nuts
Cabbage
It is also very important to drink plenty of water so that you stay hydrated.
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M$
Also, try and sweat.. steam room, exercise etc... i usually wrap my head in a towel and rub vicks on the inside of the towel to help clear my passage ways and jump into the steam room for 10 minutes.
dont forget, sleep, water/tea/juice etc... and lots of it!
Personal experience
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M$
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M$
Ｒｅｈｙｄｒａｔｅｓ ｙｏｕ．
Ｄｅｌｉｖｅｒｓ ｎｕｔｒｉｅｎｔｓ ｑｕｉｃｋｌｙ．
Ｓｐｐｉｃｙ ｉｓ ｇｏｏｄ．
Ｌｅｓｓ ｃｈｅｗｉｎｇ ｎｅｅｄｅｄ．
Ｃｈｉｃｋｅｎ ｎｏｏｄｌｅ．
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Ｐｈｏ．
Ｔｏｍ Ｙｕｎｇ Ｇｕｎ
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M$
Excellent. Then help us out by listing your experience among your sources. You could say, "30 years' experience as a registered nurse," or "30 years' experience as a university-level nursing professor and preceptor," etc. These are valid sources and help to lend credibility to your medically related answers. Had I known this initially, I would have voted for this answer.
Nevertheless, I hope you'll take to heart my suggestion about separating your paragraphs, so that your posts are easier to read. I look forward to hearing more from you.
Perhaps the lack of sources is concerning to you, so I should add that I have been a registered nurse for 30 years. In that time, I have been a certified nurse midwife for 10 years and university level nursing professor and preceptor since the 1980s. I have provided primary care to patients in a clinic setting for many years, so most of my comments are from my experience.
This answer uses too few sources for the amount of information offered. I checked the links given and found that the information addressed only a few aspects of the entire answer.
Also, this answer could be improved by separating the paragraphs. The effect of running the paragraphs together is that of one long paragraph, which is tedious to read.