Stop That Cold Fast

In the early years of Goodness Me!, I had two nasty colds, in the same spring season, in quick succession. They flattened me. I had never been so sick! I felt like I was going to die! I decided then and there that I would need to find a way to stop a cold right at the very start, not give it a foothold at all. After all, I was in the business of helping people be healthy, and it had to start with me. I had to find the answer, live it out, and share it with you, our customers.

That first little tickle in your throat, or hint of soreness, or tiny sniffle is actually a call to action! It’s not just a ‘little cold’. It has the potential to spiral into something much more. We are constantly exposed to various viruses, and our immune system can usually quell them without our even knowing it. But viruses multiply exponentially, so when you experience that first little tickle, it’s a sign that your body has been fighting this virus with all it’s got for 24 to 48 hours and can no longer hold it at bay. Your immune system is crying out for help, and you would do well to listen. Respond quickly, before the virus multiplies out of control.

There is a window of opportunity that won’t last. 

I have learned that quick action can turn that cold around and eliminate that virus completely…usually in less than 24 hours.

1. I use a trio of supplements as basic tools for the fight: Vitamin C, Anti-Viral fresh herb tincture, and Kyolic aged garlic extract. I take 2000 mg of vitamin C, 4 or more Kyolic capsules, and put 8 droppersful of Anti-Viral in a tall glass of water, drinking a quarter of it every half hour. Anti-Viral is a potent combination of five herbs that help fight viruses. At the end of two hours, if I do not feel any better, I repeat all these, and continue to do so until I feel better. Once better, I continue to take them to be sure the virus is conquered, but much less often and in smaller doses.
   
   Instead of Anti-Viral, you can substitute a potent, properly-made echinacea tincture such as A.Vogel’s Echinaforce or Natural Factors’ Echinacea Fresh Herb Tincture. Not all echinacea is up to the task, but these are.
2. Stop eating sugar. Even a little – just a teaspoon – can undermine your immune system for up to 12 hours. Eat light, nutritious foods that are easy to digest, such as soups, eggs, vegetables, onions, garlic, broth, sauerkraut. Your body can spend up to 60% of its resources digesting a heavy meal. You want to direct that energy to your immune system instead.
3. Use heat. Raising body temperature helps kill off viruses. Drink hot drinks such as hot lemon, fresh ginger tea, chamomile tea – the heat on your throat reduces viral load. Take a hot bath, with Epsom salts if you wish. Maybe snuggle up with a hot water bottle--sweat a little.
4. Add additional immune supplements you may have on hand, such as Vitamin D, Elderberry, Zinc and Quercetin. And I love R1 – a homeopathic combination from Germany that is great for infection and inflammation, especially starting in the throat. I try to always keep this on hand. Once you have it, it will never expire (I always ignore the date on the label – homeopathic remedies do not expire, in my opinion).
5. Rest. Give yourself space. Earlier to bed if possible (I know…this wasn’t always possible for me when I was raising five kids).

Isn’t this too much? Isn’t it overkill? No, not at all.

I recently had some grandkids stay for the weekend, one of them with a nasty cold. A few days later, when a little sniffle appeared, I trusted that I would not get sick, and failed to act. And I regretted that, because if you let it get ahead of you, you will need to do more, for longer, with less success.

Tackle it powerfully and aggressively, and spare yourself days, or even weeks, of not feeling well. Once you experience success with this protocol, you will understand so much better what that little tickle means, what your body is saying to you, and how to respond. 

Be empowered for success!