BusyBodyHealth

Prevention of Colds

Cold virus are all around us - door knobs, computer keyboard, telephones, etc. The best way to avoid 'catching' one is to have a strong immune system.

Some major reasons your immune systems can be weakened:

1. Eating too much sugar and grains

2. Not getting enough rest

3. Not able to manage your stress

4. Not enough physical exercise

5. Deficient in vitamin D

Vitamin D Deficiency - major risk factor for catching a coldIt is an amazing effective antimicrobial agent - producing 200-300 different antimicrobial peptides in your body to kill bacteria, viruses and fungi.

Here are some sources of vitamin D in the preferred order of source - direct sun exposure, safe indoor tanning device, or oral vitamin D3 supplement. Optimal vitamin D levels is in the 50-70 ng/ml range year-round, and it can be done by taking a blood test.

How to Get Well FasterMost uncomplicated colds last between 8-9 days. Abut 25% will last 2 weeks, and 5-10% will last 3 weeks. A light fever will actually help you feel better sooner because cold viruses cannot reproduce at higher body temperature. So as long as your fever remains below 102'F, taking a fever reducer is counter productive.  Let your body's natural immune response to take care of itself.  Taking over the counter painkillers also tend to suppress your body's natural antibody production.

Hydrogen peroxide treatments have also been found to be effective in upper respiratory infections.

When Should you Call the Doctor?

1. Fever over 102'F

2. Ear pain

3. Pain around your eyes, especially with a green nasal discharge

4. Shortness of breath or a persistent uncontrollable cough

5. Persistently coughing up green and yellow sputum

To prevent colds, some people take 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar in a glass of warm water first thing in the morning, then take 5000 I.U. of D3 with 12 mg of astaxanthin. That's it.  And whenever feel something is coming on, take 1000 mg of vit C per hour 'til symptoms subsides.

More Details:

Optimize Your Gut Flora. This may be the single most important strategy you can implement as the bacteria in your gut have enormous control of your immune response. The best way to improve your beneficial bacteria ratio is to avoid sugars as they will feed the pathogenic bacteria. Additionally, processed foods and most grains should be limited and replacing with healthy fats like coconut oil, avocados, olives, olive oil, butter, eggs and nuts. Once you change your diet than regular use of fermented foods can radically optimize the function of your immune response.

Optimize your vitamin D levels. As I've previously reported, optimizing your vitamin D levels is one of the absolute best strategies for avoiding infections of ALL kinds, and vitamin D deficiency may actually be the true culprit behind the seasonality of the flu – not the flu virus itself. This is probably the single most important and least expensive action you can take. Regularly monitor your vitamin D levels to confirm your levels are within the therapeutic range of 50-70 ng/ml.

Ideally, you'll want to get all your vitamin D from sun exposure or a safe tanning bed, but as a last resort you can take an oral vitamin D3 supplement. According to the latest review by Carole Baggerly (Grassrootshealth.org), adults need about 8,000 IU's a day. Be sure to take vitamin K2 if you are taking high dose oral vitamin D as it has a powerful synergy and will help prevent any D toxicity.

Avoid Sugar and Processed Foods. Sugar impairs the quality of your immune response almost immediately, and as you likely know, a healthy immune system is one of the most important keys to fighting off viruses and other illness. It also can decimate your beneficial bacteria and feed the pathogenic yeast and viruses. Be aware that sugar (typically in the form of high fructose corn syrup) is present in foods you may not suspect, like ketchup and fruit juice. If you are healthy than sugar can be consumed but the LAST thing you should be eating when you are sick is sugar. Avoid it like poison while you are sick.

Get Plenty of Rest. Just like it becomes harder for you to get your daily tasks done if you're tired, if your body is overly fatigued it will be harder for it to fight the flu. Be sure to check out my article Guide to a Good Night's Sleep for some great tips to help you get quality rest.

Have Effective Tools to Address Stress. We all face some stress every day, but if stress becomes overwhelming then your body will be less able to fight off the flu and other illness. If you feel that stress is taking a toll on your health, consider using an energy psychology tool such as the Emotional Freedom Technique, which is remarkably effective in relieving stress associated with all kinds of events, from work to family to trauma.

Get Regular Exercise. When you exercise, you increase your circulation and your blood flow throughout your body. The components of your immune system are also better circulated, which means your immune system has a better chance of finding an illness before it spreads. Be sure to stay hydrated – drink plenty of fluids, especially water. However, it would be wise to radically reduce the intensity of your workouts while you are sick. No Peak Fitness exercises until you are better.

Take a High-Quality Source of Animal-Based Omega-3 Fats. Increase your intake of healthy and essential fats like the omega-3 found in krill oil, which is crucial for maintaining health. It is also vitally important to avoid damaged omega-6 oils that are trans fats and in processed foods as it will seriously damage your immune response.

Wash Your Hands. Washing your hands will decrease your likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or other people. Be sure you don't use antibacterial soap for this – antibacterial soaps are completely unnecessary, and they cause far more harm than good. Instead, identify a simple chemical-free soap that you can switch your family to.

Tried and True Hygiene Measures. In addition to washing your hands regularly, cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. If possible, avoid close contact with those, who are sick and, if you are sick, avoid close contact with those who are well.

Use Natural Antibiotics. Examples include oil of oregano and garlic. These work like broad-spectrum antibiotics against bacteria, viruses, and protozoa in your body. And unlike pharmaceutical antibiotics, they do not appear to lead to resistance.

Avoid Hospitals. Stay away from hospitals unless you're having an emergency and need expert medical care, as hospitals are prime breeding grounds for infections of all kinds. The best place to get plenty of rest and recover from illness that is not life-threatening is usually in the comfort of your own home.

References:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2002/03/13/hydrogen-peroxide-part-one.aspxH. Perry
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/01/22/flu-epidemic.aspx?e_cid=20130122_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20130122