Chapter 1: Conquering Colds and Vanquishing Viral Infections 1 Conquering Colds and Vanquishing Viral Infections Everyone is familiar with the common cold: runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, coughing, sneezing, perhaps a low-grade fever, and generally feeling bleh. These symptoms result from a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. Of all the places you can witness the human body''s incredible recovery mechanisms, this may be the most discernible. Your body knows exactly how to vanquish a virus, and integrative medicine can speed up the process. Colds can be caused by more than two hundred different types of viruses,1 with rhinovirus the most common. As any parent or teacher will know, colds are highly contagious, spreading easily through infected droplets in the air when someone coughs or sneezes, or through contact with contaminated surfaces or an infected person''s hands. The average adult comes down with two to three colds each year.2 While they are less severe than many other conditions in this book--most colds usually resolve within a week--they are unpleasant and disruptive, leading to seventy million missed work days annually and costing the U.
S. economy some $40 billion.3 Western medicine does not offer any medications that speed a cold along, but there are many integrative strategies at your disposal that can. They work by supporting your rapid recovery reflex, both preventing colds and accelerating your return to feeling well again. For example, my thirty-five-year-old patient Lydia is a kindergarten teacher who complained of constantly catching whatever cold was circulating around her classroom; she effectively had one long cold from November through April. "What can I do to give my immune system a boost?" she asked me. I recommended that she chop a clove of fresh garlic every morning and spread it on her toast. (Garlic has potent antiviral and antibacterial qualities, but only when cut or pressed.
) I also recommended a mixed-mushroom supplement and a daily Emergen-C supplement in conjunction with frequent handwashing. Lydia was delighted to report in a follow-up visit three months later that she had not had a cold since instituting her antiviral regimen. The flu, which I will also discuss in this chapter, is a much more severe illness caused by the influenza virus that infects up to forty-one million Americans each year.4 It comes on suddenly and can present with fever, body aches, cough, a sore throat, fatigue, and headaches.5 While fever and body aches are uncomfortable, they signal that the body is amping up its recovery systems to fight the infection. Having a fever means your white blood cells are activating to kill harmful bacteria; the fever also activates other cellular defense mechanisms, including macrophages, natural killer cells, and dendritic cells.6 Indeed, fever is a key component of your recovery reflex, so it is worth skipping the Tylenol or Advil if you are able! Western medicine includes vaccines to prevent the flu and medications to treat symptoms and shorten its duration; integrative medicine delivers further armaments with herbs and supplements that shorten the flu''s duration. With a few simple strategies, you may ensure your recovery reflex functions optimally, thwarting viral symptoms and speeding your recovery from the cold, flu, and herpes.
(In the chapter "Overcoming Long Covid," I will cover the viral illness that has captured so much of our attention in recent years: Covid-19.) Cold and Flu For as long as humans have existed, we have sought remedies for the common cold. In medieval Europe, it was believed that stuffing onions in sleeping socks could ward off illness.7 (The strong smell likely only succeeded in warding off other people!) From the "Gogol Mogul" (a Russian beverage combining egg yolk with sugar, milk, and butter) to traditional Chinese lizard soup, every culture has a cold remedy.8 The flu is a more serious illness. Consider the 1918 Spanish Flu, which infected a staggering one-third of the world''s population and claimed twice the number of lives as World War I.9 A robust integrative approach can help reduce the severity and duration of both cold and flu symptoms. Here is what I recommend.
Nutrition A balanced diet can help strengthen your immune system, reduce the severity and duration of symptoms, and support overall health. Here is what to put on your plate. Vegetables and Fruit: Women who consume more vegetables and fruits reduce the risk of respiratory infections, as demonstrated in one study of more than one thousand pregnant North American women.10 But even without a specific supportive study, I recommend everyone eat them! Vegetables and fruits are our major source of antioxidants, including vitamin C, which can help boost the immune system, shorten the duration of cold symptoms, and support the production of infection-fighting white blood cells. Garlic: When my children were sick, one of my favorite remedies was to press a clove of garlic and mix it into a bit of cream cheese, then spread it on a bagel. To this day, my kids swear by raw garlic! When garlic is chopped, crushed, or pressed, it produces allicin, a sulfur-containing compound.11 Allicin is known for its antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties, which help the immune system combat infections. While it may be yummy roasted or cooked, only raw garlic is an effective antimicrobial.
Garlic has been shown to help prevent colds from reoccurring. In one double-blind study,12 146 people were randomized to receive either a garlic supplement or a placebo. After twelve weeks, sixty-five members of the placebo group had colds, compared with just twenty-four in the garlic group. You can easily add garlic to your morning toast, stir it into your salad dressing, or throw it in a stir-fry right before serving; I recommend consuming fresh, pressed garlic over taking supplements. Honey: Honey has a thick, viscous consistency that coats the throat, providing a soothing effect while reducing irritation and discomfort. It was found by Oxford University researchers to be superior to usual care (such as cough syrup and acetaminophen) for improving symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections.13 Honey is also a yummy and effective cough suppressant.14 Add it to your tea or simply lick it off the spoon before you go to bed.
(Just be sure to brush your teeth afterward!) Chicken Soup: No, your bubbie was not the first person to realize chicken soup is an excellent cold remedy. During the Middle Ages, the Jewish physician and philosopher-scientist Maimonides prescribed chicken soup as a cure for everything from colds to asthma, to weight gain and leprosy.15 While chicken soup may not be quite the panacea Maimonides claimed, its benefits for colds are substantial. The broth keeps you hydrated, helping to thin mucus and keep your throat moist, while adding spices like garlic and pepper can open nasal passages.16 If you are a vegetarian, a hot vegetable soup can provide immune-enhancing vitamins and minerals. While it has not been formally studied, the broth likely helps thin mucus as well. I recommend adding chopped astragalus root to either chicken or vegetable soup early in the onset of the viral infection for an immune boost.17 Medicinal Mushrooms: Mushrooms have been recognized for their medicinal properties for centuries.
Many contain polysaccharides, particularly beta-glucans, which enhance the function of the immune system. Reishi, shiitake, maitake, turkey tail, and cordyceps mushrooms are all associated with immune-boosting benefits.18 You can add them to soups, stews, and stir-fries, or brew them into teas. Another easy way to take mushrooms is as an extract or capsule. Herbal Medicines An internet search will reveal a plethora of herbal remedies for cold and flu symptoms. Here I will focus on those with the strongest scientific evidence. Echinacea: A flowering plant in the daisy family, echinacea is also commonly known as coneflower. It has been used as a cold remedy for centuries, particularly by Native Americans.
19 Echinacea is believed to inhibit the replication of viruses while stimulating the activity of immune cells, including macrophages, natural killer cells, and T-cells; as a side benefit, it even reduces anxiety. While it is still unclear whether echinacea reduces the overall severity of cold symptoms, one review of fourteen clinical trials found that echinacea reduced the chance of developing a cold by 58 percent and lessened the cold duration by as many as four days.20 There are many ways to consume echinacea, and the dose depends on the particular plant variety. This can be confusing. To keep things clear, when you are at the store, I recommend you purchase one of the following: A 1:5 tincture (> 60 percent alcohol) of E. angustifolia root. Take 9 to 15 ml per day. E.
angustifolia dried root. Take 1 to 3 gm daily. E. angustifolia root powder. Take 900 mg daily. E. angustifolia root extract (sold under the name Echinaforce). Take 290 mg (or 6 tablets) daily.
The herbalists I work with recommend the following mixture: Steep an echinacea tea bag for 10 minutes along with a bag of black tea. Add lemon juice (to help with swelling in your throat), 1 pressed garlic clove, honey, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. While this may sound like an intense beverage to drink, it is surprisingly smooth and will soothe your sore throat. Note that echinacea is generally considered safe. However, it may inhibit an enzyme called CYP1A2. Speak to your doctor if you are taking medications that are metabolized by this enzyme, including acetaminophen, amitriptyline, diazepam, estradiol, propranolol, and warfari.