The Common Cold And Flu
- Posted on
- By Gabriela Mancilla Valdez, CHN, RA
- Posted in Cold, Immune, Respiratory
In this blog, we discuss how to support the immune system in order to prevent catching the common cold or flu through diet, lifestyle, and supplementation. We also discuss what to do if you do catch a cold or flu to support the body in fighting the infection.
As summer is coming to an end and fall is just around the corner, we are getting close to what has come to be known as “flu season”. This is a common time of year throughout fall and winter where many people tend to get sick. In order to help you thrive during this season, we will discuss how to support your immune system so that you can either avoid catching a cold or flu or bounce back quickly if you do catch a cold or flu. In this blog, we will discuss prevention measures as well as what to do if you do catch a cold or flu this upcoming flu season.
The primary function of the immune system is to protect the body against infection and cancer. One of the key factors that determines whether someone will catch a cold easily is their susceptibility to infection or disease, which is determined by the strength of their immune system; support and enhancement of the immune system is one of the most important steps to reduce your susceptibility to colds and the flu.
First, we will talk about supporting and strengthening the immune system to reduce susceptibility to colds and flu. A few questions to review to determine if your immune system needs some support are:
- Do you catch colds or the flu easily?
- Do you get colds or the flu more than three times a year?
- Are you suffering from a chronic infection?
- Do you get frequent cold sores or fungal nail infections, or do you have genital herpes?
- Are your lymph glands sometimes sore and swollen?
- Do you have now or have you ever had cancer?
Recurrent or chronic infections and even mild colds only happen when the immune system is weakened. Unfortunately, once your immune system is weak and you are susceptible to disease, you fall into a cycle of infection and a weak immune system. A weakened immune system leads to infection, and chronic infection leads to depletion of the immune system, which further weakens your body’s ability to resist disease.
Just like holistic medicine, many aspects play a role in a strong immune system as seen by the close association of psychological, neurological, nutritional, environmental, and hormonal factors with immune function. Thus, in order to support the immune system, we need to focus on lifestyle, stress management, exercise, diet, nutritional supplementation, avoidance of toxins, and the use of herbal supplements if needed.
The first factor for a strong immune system is a positive mind and attitude. The field of pscyhoneuroimmunology (PNI) focuses on the interactions between the emotional state, the nervous system function, and the immune system. Investigations into these interactions have shown that the mind and attitude play a significant role in immune system function. When you are happy and feeling positive, the immune system functions much better; when you are depressed or have a negative attitude, your immune system tends to be impaired.
Stressors can also impact immune system function. The more significant the stressor, the greater the impact on the immune system. A study on one of the most stressful life events, the loss of a spouse, demonstrated a significant depression of immune system as seen by the significant reduction of natural killer cell activity. Further studies on bereavement, depression, and stress have shown that these things significantly diminish important immune functions. Therefore, if you are going through any life stressors, it is especially important to focus on strengthening the immune system.
So, one of the easiest ways to support the immune system is to cultivate a positive emotional state. This can be done by engaging in activities you are passionate about, spending time with family, laughing, reading humorous books or watching humorous movies, viewing life with a “glass half full” attitude, spending time in a relaxed state of mind on a regular basis, and cultivating a strong spiritual practice. Additionally, guided imagery and other meditative states have been shown to enhance immune function.
Another thing to focus on to support the immune system is increasing your capacity to manage stress. Stress causes an increase in the blood levels of adrenal hormones adrenaline and cortisol, which leads to an immune-suppressed state and leaves you susceptible to infection and illness. The level of immune suppression is proportional to the level of stress with immune suppression consisting of a decrease in white blood cell function, thymic function, and the formation of new white blood cells. One way to support your ability to handle stress is to support your adrenals, which is the organ that is put on overdrive during stress. To support the adrenals, you can take vitamin C, B-vitamins, and adaptogens like Ashwagandha. Other stress management and reduction techniques include exercise, guided imagery, humor, laughter, spiritual practice, and aromatherapy.
Lifestyle factors can also contribute to healthy immune function. Some lifestyle practices associated with higher natural killer cell activity include not smoking, increasing intake of green vegetables, eating meals regularly, maintaining proper body weight, getting more than seven hours of sleep per night, and exercising regularly. An easy lifestyle practice that may help you avoid catching a cold or the flu is washing your hands regularly.
Another lifestyle factor that can help boost your immunity is to use aromatherapy. The Good Samaritan Blend from Pranarom is an age old blend that traces back to the Bubonic plague used by thieves to keep them immune from the plague when they stole from the homes of infected people. The essential oils in the blend not only have historical roots, they also have now been well studied for their purifying and immune boosting benefits. You can diffuse it in your home or apply a couple of drops to a tissue or scarf to travel. You can also make it into a roll-on and apply it to your temples and wrists. You can also use the Good Samaritan Defense Spray while travelling.
The diet is another factor that can support healthy immune function. Dietary factors that suppress immune function include nutrient deficiency, excessive sugar consumption, consumption of allergenic foods, and high cholesterol levels in the blood. Dietary factors that enhance immune function include a diet rich in whole, natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, seeds, and nuts, low in refined sugar and unhealthy fats, and with adequate amounts of protein. In order to prevent nutrient deficiencies, a good vitamin and mineral supplement is recommended. Studies have shown that taking vitamin and mineral supplements may increase immune function. For a list of our multivitamins, click here.
As shown in the chart above, sugar consumption can greatly impact immune function. This chart shows the drop in neutrophil activity hours after ingesting 100g of sugar. Neutrophils make up 60-70% of white blood cell count and thus are a major portion of the body’s immune defense mechanisms, so compromised neutrophil activity can lead to decreased immune function. Additionally, consumption of 75 grams of sugar has been shown to depress lymphocyte response; lymphocytes are the primary white blood cells that fight viruses. The effects of sugar on the immune system may be due to the rise of insulin levels and the competition with vitamin C for membrane transport sites. Vitamin C and glucose compete for absorption into white blood cells, which requires insulin; glucose has a negative effect while vitamin C has a positive effect when absorbed into white blood cells.
Now we will discuss specific nutrients that support a strong immune system. Vitamin A is essential for maintaining the integrity of the skin and linings of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract and their secretions. These tissues make up a primary nonspecific host defense mechanism. Vitamin A may also stimulate or enhance numerous immune processes. Vitamin A deficiency can predispose you to an infection and during infection, vitamin A stores are typically greatly reduced. Vitamin A may prevent and reverse stress-induced thymus gland shrinkage and additionally vitamin A can promote thymus growth. Carotenes convert into vitamin A and also function as antioxidants. The thymus gland is very susceptible to damage by free radicals, so beta-carotene is effective for enhancing the immune system in a different way than Vitamin A as retinol. For more information on Vitamin A and beta-carotenes as well as supplement recommendations, check out our vitamin A monograph.
Vitamin C is also essential for immune enhancement. Vitamin C has been shown to enhance lymphoproliferative response to mitogens and lymphotrophic activity, increase interferon levels, antibody responses, immunoglobulin levels, and secretion of thymic hormones. Vitamin C can be useful in the common cold and other infectious diseases. Vitamin C levels are quickly depleted during infection and chronic disease. Taking flavonoids in addition to vitamin C raises the concentration of vitamin C in some tissues and potentates its effects. To read more about vitamin C and bioflavonoids as well as supplement recommendations, check out our Vitamin C monograph.
Vitamin D is another essential vitamin for immune support. Vitamin D has been found to have receptors on white blood cells and key vitamin D metabolizing enzymes are expressed by cells of the immune system. Vitamin D has been shown to produce many immune-enhancing effects including upregulation of antimicrobial peptides to enhance clearance of bacteria in immune cells, modulation of the immune system by direct effects on T cell activation, protection against the development of autoimmune diseases, and reduction of the frequency of viral upper respiratory infection. To learn more about vitamin D as well as supplement recommendations, check out our Vitamin D Monograph Part 1 and Part 2.
Vitamin E enhances both antibody production and cell-mediated immunity. Vitamin E deficiency results in atrophy of lymphoid tissue and a decrease in white blood cell response and function. Vitamin E supplementation has been shown to increase white blood cell response, prevent free-radical-induced thymus atrophy, enhance helper T cell activity, and increase antibody response and phagocytosis. To learn more about Vitamin E as well as supplement recommendations, check out our Vitamin E monograph.
B vitamins are also important for immune system support. Vitamin B6 deficiency can result in depressed cellular and humoral immunity. It can also cause the thymus, spleen, and lymph nodes to shrink, the number of white blood cells to drop, a reduction in the quantity and quality of antibody produced, and a decreased activity of thymus hormones. B12 and/or folate deficiency can cause reduced production of white blood cells and abnormal white blood cells responses. Thiamine, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid deficiencies can lead to reduced antibody response, decreased white blood cell response, and atrophy of the thymus and lymph tissue. Thus, supplementing with a B complex or multivitamin with B vitamins can be helpful to prevent lower immune function due to B vitamin deficiencies. For B complexes, check out Basic B Thorne, B Activ Xymogen, or Methyl B Complex.
Iron is a more complex vitamin related to the immune system. Iron deficiency can cause immune dysfunction including thymus and lymph node atrophy, decreased white blood cell response and function, and decreased ratio of T cells to B cells. However, iron is also an important nutrient to bacteria. Thus, during acute infection iron supplementation may be contraindicated; but, in people with chronic infections, impaired immune function, and low iron levels, supplementation is necessary. For iron supplements, check out Reacted Iron Ortho Molecular or SiderAL Forte Iron and Vitamin C.
Zinc is an important mineral for immune function. Zinc deficiency may cause reduced number of T cells, impaired white blood cell function, and lower thymic hormone levels. Zinc promotes the destruction of foreign particles and microorganisms, protects against free radical damage, acts synergistically with vitamin A, is required for proper white blood cell function, and is a necessary cofactor in activating serum thymic factor. It also directly inhibits the growth of several viruses including the common cold viruses and herpes simplex virus. For more information on Zinc as well as supplement recommendations, check out our Zinc monograph.
Selenium is another mineral that affects the immune system. Selenium plays a vital role in the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which means that it also helps with the development and expression of all white blood cells. Selenium deficiency can cause depressed immune function, and impaired white blood cell and thymus function. Our options for selenium supplementation, try Selenium Pure or Selenium Thorne.
Now that we have gone over a few ways to strengthen the immune system, let’s move on to what to do if you do catch the cold or flu this flu season. Symptoms of the common cold include nasal discomfort with watery discharge and sneezing, a dry, sore throat, red, swollen nasal passages, general malaise, fever, headache, and upper respiratory tract congestion, and swollen lymph nodes on the neck. The common cold can be caused by a wide variety of viruses capable of infecting the upper respiratory tract. All of us are constantly exposed to many viruses, but most people only catch a cold once or twice a year. This reveals how a decrease in resistance or immune function is the major factor in catching a cold.
Following all the recommendations we discussed above would still be appropriate for when you catch a cold. People with a healthy, functioning immune system should only experience the common cold for three to four days. Even with a strong immune system and natural healing methods, it is very difficult to completely get over a cold in two days once a cold is well under way. Thus, do not expect immediate relief in most instances when using natural substances because most natural therapies for colds assist the body rather than suppressing symptoms, as drugs often do, so often the symptoms of the cold temporarily worsen before they improve. In fact, many cold symptoms are actually a result of the body’s defense mechanisms. For example, the immune-stimulating compound interferon that is released by white blood cells and other tissues during infections, is responsible for many flu-like symptoms. Additionally, a fever is one of the body’s major defense mechanisms so suppressing it, unless it is dangerously high (above 104 degrees Fahrenheit), can prolong the infection.
The first thing to do when you catch a cold is to rest. The immune system functions better when the parasympathetic nervous system assumes control over bodily functions, which happens during rest, relaxation, visualization, meditation, and sleep. In fact, during the deepest levels of sleep, potent immune-stimulating compounds are released and many immune functions are greatly increased.
The second thing to do when you catch a cold is to drink lots of fluids, particularly water and unsweetened herbal teas. There are several benefits to increased fluid consumption. Cold viruses prefer a dry environment so when the membranes that line the respiratory tract get dehydrated, they provide a much more hospitable environment for cold viruses. Thus, drinking plenty of liquids and using a vaporizer help maintain a moist respiratory tract to prevent viral infection. Drinking liquids also helps improve the function of white blood cells by decreasing the concentration of solutes in the blood.
The type of liquids consumed is important because concentrated sources of sugars such as glucose, fructose, sucrose, honey, and orange juice greatly reduce the ability of white blood cells to kill bacteria. If you wish to consume fruit juices, at least dilute them with water. Otherwise, stick to water and unsweetened herbal teas for hydration. You can even drink immune boosting herbal teas to further help your body fight the infection such as peppermint, chamomile, ginger, lemongrass, hibiscus, licorice root, lemon, and blueberry tea.
The next thing to do when you catch a cold is to avoid sugar. As we talked about in the immune support section, sugar, even from natural sources, can impair immune function. Excessive sugar consumption may decrease vitamin C levels and result in a significant reduction in white blood cell function.
The next thing to do when you catch a cold is to take vitamin C. Vitamin C is critical for immune system function and is antiviral so it can help reduce the duration of the common cold. In more than 30 clinical trials judging the effectiveness of vitamin C in the treatment of the common cold, it was concluded that vitamin C may help reduce the duration of a cold by a day or so. For options for vitamin C supplementation, check out our vitamin C monograph.
Vitamin D is another vitamin that can help reduce the duration of the common cold. Studies have shown that vitamin D may reduce the duration of the common cold by 36%. Not only can vitamin D help prevent catching the cold, it can also help reduce the severity and duration. For options for vitamin D supplements, check out our vitamin D monograph part 1 and part 2.
Another thing to take when you catch the common cold are zinc lozenges. Zinc is a critical nutrient for immune function and also exerts antiviral activity. Studies have shown that subjects that use zinc lozenges achieved complete recovery in fewer days than placebo. For zinc lozenges, we offer Sambucus Zinc Elderberry lozenges. Elderberry has been shown to reduce flu severity of symptoms and duration.
A couple more botanical medicines that may be helpful to take if you catch a cold are echinacea and South African geranium. Echinacea has been shown to help reduce severity and duration of cold symptoms. For echinacea supplementation along with other immune boosting botanicals, try Viracid Ortho Molecular, Rapid Immune Boost Herb Pharm, Throat & Gland Spray Natura, and EHB Integrative Therapeutics. South African Geranium Pelargonium sidoides (EPs 7630) has been shown to significantly reduce the severity of symptoms and shortens the duration of the common cold by a little more than a day compared to placebo. We offer EPs 7630 in a homeopathic liquid, V Clear in plain flavor and cherry flavor.
A few of our other favorite supplement recommendations for the cold are OrthoMune Ortho Molecular, My Community Host Defense, and Viracid Ortho Molecular.
If you are interested in homeopathic remedies that are useful for the common cold, check out Guna Flu, Guna Virus, ColdCalm Boiron, and Oscillococcinum Boiron.
In this blog, we have discussed how to support the immune system through diet, lifestyle, and supplementation in order to prevent the common cold. We also discussed things to do when you get the common cold to reduce the severity of its symptoms and duration. As always, if you have any questions or need help navigating through flu season, feel free to call or stop into the store and our staff would love to assist you.
References
Artful Tea. The 9 Best Teas for a Cold or Flu. Artful Tea. https://artfultea.com/blogs/wellness/best-teas-for-a-cold?srsltid=AfmBOoo3onb0QK9EnDrGrNgwNYc1u63Epxs5PqJ2zn82E6mEpo9nfTuB
Harrison, S. E., Oliver, S. J., Kashi, D. S., Carswell, A. T., Edwards, J. P., Wentz, L. M., Roberts, R., Tang, J. C. Y., Izard, R. M., Jackson, S., Allan, D., Rhodes, L. E., Fraser, W. D., Greeves, J. P., & Walsh, N. P. (2021). Influence of Vitamin D Supplementation by Simulated Sunlight or Oral D3 on Respiratory Infection during Military Training. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 53(7), 1505–1516. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000002604
Mahboubi M. (2021). Sambucus nigra (black elder) as alternative treatment for cold and flu. Advances in Traditional Medicine, 21(3), 405–414. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13596-020-00469-z
Murray, M.T. & Pizzorno, J. (2012). The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine: Third Edition. Atria.