There are several causes of the common cold/flu. There seems to be more solutions/medications to treat it. As with any disease, it is best to treat it on the front end. But, we don’t always do what is best for us. We wait and hope for the best. According to Henriette Lange (Supervisor on the television show NCIS LA), “Hope is not a plan.”
What is a good plan? Our immune system is our first line of defense against bacteria or viruses. We must boost our immune system as much as possible to fight these invading bugs. When our immune system is working well, we may never know we even fought a battle against them. However, when our immune system is weakened, our lives can become very chaotic.
Our gut is about 80% of our immune system. We should start there to give it strength and endurance. IgA (immunoglobulin A) is an antibody protecting our upper respiratory tract. If IgA is diminished, we can expect cold-like symptoms to start. To improve weakened IgA, researchers have found success by creating a cocktail of probiotic strains of L. plantarum, L. rhamnosus and B. lactis.
They measured cold/flu-like symptoms in multiple categories and tweaked the best combination of ingredients. The results showed a 48% reduction in cold/flu like symptoms and a 55% reduction in the number of days the patients were experiencing them.
Additional testing was done adding another probiotic strain (B. subtilis CU1). Again, increases in IgA along with a reduction in symptoms resulted. Probiotics help our immune systems fight colds and flu more effectively.
There are other treatments that have had high success in other studies. Cimetidine is sold over the counter and improves immune function by inhibiting T-suppressor cells. Allicin garlic has been effective for centuries to fight and ward off cold and flu-like diseases. Aged garlic extract is different than allicin garlic. It works differently suppress the misery of cold symptoms.
Lactoferrin is a natural component of mother’s milk. It enhances the production of natural killer cells. Tests show great effectiveness against certain viruses. Zinc has long been known to reduce the symptoms of colds. Zinc acetate appears to work the best.
Our immune systems need continual attention. Yet, we don’t rely on it for the protection it can give us. A probiotic cocktail keeps our gut in optimal working order. A good gut yields a strong and healthy immune system.
Please don’t start adding new treatments, especially over the counter drugs to treat yourself if you are under a doctor’s care. You should always consult your physician before beginning any self-medication program. The list of items above is worth discussing with your doctor to maximize your resistance to colds/flu and minimize your days under its spell.
Source: LifeExtension magazine September 2017 (lef.org)
