How can I boost my immunity to colds and flu?
597929
well, i read previously in an article that vitamin C is actually not useful when it comes to boosting immunity. in fact, the study on that article was done on a group of 400 people, 200 of whom eat 3-4 times as much as vitamin C as the other group and in the end, their immunity are the same. The group who took the 3-4 times vitamin C only can shorten the time they got sick like 1-2 days. So it really doesnt help. i cant rem when i saw this article, but it was in the Singapore major newspaper months back.\n\nLike yourself, i am very sick prone, i have 2-5 ulcers (canker sores) a month, fever every 2 months. Its almost like a routine to me. I am a non smoker, i dont drink alcohol, i dont club, no drugs. \n\nAnyhow recently i am getting so better (i hope it aint gonna go downhill again). Its my change of environment i guess. Much cleaner air now, i drink more than 2 litres of plain water everyday, do some long distance walking every week (40 to 60 mins fast walk each time), sleep 8 hours a day. Been doing this for 3 months already and i feel so much healthier, and not much problems i mention previously.\n\nHope i helped! :)
800238
try medicine with zinc in it.....and drink alot of orange juice.....those two things help me get over colds really fast!!!!!!
622631
Seems as if you're immune system needs a little lift. try Airborne, its a tablet you submerge into liquid and drink. It contains vitamins and minerals to help your body fight off colds. You can try buying vitamins, or go see a doctor.
14689
The best way to fight the common cold virus\n\nEvery year, as each winter season approaches us, it gets harder and harder for people to avoid getting a cold. It never fails, just as soon as the weather changes a little and starts to turn cold, people begin to sniffle, sneeze and cough and the symptoms of the common cold begin to come around once again.\n\nBut before you run out to the nearest store to buy a supply of tissues, cold medicine and soup, you need to understand exactly what you are up against. Your chances of being exposed to a cold germ will increase or decrease depending on the amount of contact you have with other people and how you take care of yourself.\n\nThe cold germ is spread from person to person when someone, who is infected, sneezes or coughs into the air or on you. The airborne germ then enters someone else’s body through an orifice, like your eyes, nose or mouth. You can also catch a cold by touching something that a person who has been infected has also touched and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes.\n\nThere are many things that you can do to prevent yourself from getting a cold.\n\n1. You should wash your hands a lot. This frequent hand washing, especially when using any anti-bacterial soap, will help you to get rid of any potential germs that you might have come into contact with.\n\n2. You should carry and use anti-bacterial hand lotion several times throughout the day. Use it especially when you cannot get to a bathroom and you know you have touched something infected or have been near an infected person.\n\n3. You should also get plenty of sleep or rest. If you are tired and fatigued, your body’s resistance decreases and you will find that you are more susceptible to colds.\n\nThere are many ways that you can fight a cold once you have caught one.\n\n1. You should eat spicy foods. Spicy hot foods will cause your body to expel mucus. When you eat these types of foods, your nose will start to run and you will begin to cough up mucus. Spicy foods work just like a natural decongestant but without side effects. This advice is good for those people who cannot take over the counter medication.\n\n2. You should drink plenty of liquids. Liquids like soup, water, juice and flat ginger ale will keep your body hydrated. This is true especially if you have a fever. During a fever, your body loses a lot of fluids. You will need to replenish what you have lost. Therefore you need to drink often throughout your illness. You should also avoid drinking any dairy drinks because the dairy will cause mucus to form and coat your throat making it very difficult for you to swallow and cough.\n\n3. You should use a vaporizer. It will keep the air that you breathe moist. If you do not have a vaporizer handy, then just crack open the windows in your home. This is very important if you have an extremely warm and dry home. Cracking the windows will have the same effects that a vaporizer has.
183399
Take plenty of vitamin C - orange juice, oranges, bell pepper\n\nChicken soup.\n\nGet as much rest as possible.\n\nBe careful about going to the doctor and getting antibiotics. this just decreases your resistance for the next time you get a cold.
851751
Well there isn't a whole lot you can do but there are a few things that can help you recover.\n\nDrink lots of orange juice/anything with vitamin c in it. Vitamin C is essential to your immune system and will help it work properly. Eating healthy foods will also just keep your body healthy and running properly. When your body is running properly it can work better and that includes fighting off nasty colds.\n\nOn that note, get lots of liquids. This includes water especially; it's another one of those things necessary for your body running properly.\n\nGet plenty of rest. Once again you need this so that your body can fight the cold.\n\nAlso, treat the symptoms. There are plenty of medications out there to treat cold symptoms. You can't cure a cold with medication but at least you can make yourself feel better!
1056893
Eating healthy and exercising is a great start and its good you have that already. Some people just have weak immune systems and find it hard to fight off colds. Try taking Echinacea at the start of the seasons, it will build your immune system but only take it for ten days straight, if you take it for too long it can start to weaken the immune system as your body gets used to it. There are a lot of natural remedies if you want further info, speak to your health professional :)\n\n\n I find having a bit of garlic at the start of winter keeps me cold free, it helps sinus and purifies your blood
18273
Wash your hands before you eat anything, or better yet use an antibacterial that you can keep in your purse, or if you're a guy in your pocket, don't put your fingers in your mouth (i.e., bite your nails). One good piece of advice in preventing colds or the flu is to not borrow pens...always make sure you have one of your own...that way you know that you're not holding something that someone who just coughed or sneezed into their hand was just touching.\n\nAs always, make sure you take in lots of vitamin C daily.  Lots of orange juice, and go with a multivatimin.  FYI, all of these things are good to practice anyway but are especially good practices to remember around flu season.
679156
take vitamin C....that helps to a degree....not going to say it will prevent you from most sicknesses but it does help :) itll boost your immune system
37920
The best way to fight a cold is by drinking Alot of fluids, mainly water.  Your body uses white blood cells to fight off the cold germ.  Once the white blood cells have exhausted their usefulness, they need to be flushed along with the germ that they have eradicated.\n\nDrink alot of fluids, alot of water and supplement your body with Vitamin C.  Hope you fell better.
916865
Everything you do, touch, breath, eat and drink affects your immunity. How to build strong immunity in your body is greatly affected by how you live your life. Sleep, exercise, nutrition, stress reduction, and health conditions are the main providers of foundation of having strong immune response.\n\nThings to do:\n>>Live a healthy life in general.\n>>Adequate rest and sleep - during deep sleep, our bodies release potent immune-enhancing substances that strengthen immune function.\n>>Regular exercise -  The body has a remarkable ability to increase its metabolic capacity through consistent regular physical conditioning.\n>>Good nutrition -  A healthy balanced diet of vegetables, fruits, whole and fortified grains, and dairy products, with small amounts of fish and meat if you wish. is absolutely essential to maintain good immunity. A healthy immune system depends on adequate amounts of protein, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and other important metabolic nutrients. \n>>Detoxification - effects of  toxins and pollution are harmful to the immune system. Avoiding source of toxins and pollution is the best way to help.\n>>Avoid geting stress - stress has been found to stimulate immune-suppressing chemicals such as adrenaline. Stress reducers such as meditation, relaxation, guided imagery, and hypnosis can effectively enhance immunity.\n>>Avoid smoking or getting exposed to smoke - smoking suppresses immune cells.\n>>Immunization against some diseases is a good help.☺
121516
There are many ways to avoid a cold and if you should get one zinc is a good supplement to help you get over it.  This year I found out that 6 drops of Tea Tree Oil in a small amount of water really helped me.  I have not been sick all year, even though everyone else was.  You drink the water and tea tree oil.  It smells awlful and taste bad too, but it really helps.  Important to know that you don't mix meds with herbs, oil or any holistic stuff, leave about an hour between the two.  \n\nAlso washing of the hands and using water nasal spray helps in prevention of spreading the virus.\n\nWintergreen, cinnamon, eucylipus and peppermint oils also help in reliving aches and pains due to colds.  Helps break up congestion.  \n\nA tablespoon of cider vinger daily also helps the body fight off many illnesses.  Very good for digestion.\n\nIf your digestive tract and bowels don't work properly you are open to many illnesses.  Acidospholis is excellent for keeping your digestive tract in order and keeps you healthy.
800481
Get a humidifier for the room you sleep in....take lots of Zinc and Vit. C which will help fight off a cold....
183035
I agree, L-Lysine. You can take internal L-Lysine capsules to boost your immune system too.
616490
I was talking to an eye, ear, nose, and throat doctor last winter. She says the course of the virus causing cold will normally be about ten to fourteen days. The best further preventative measures can actually keep a person from having the common cold turn into something else.\nAlthough zinc and vitamin C are good, they are absolutely worthless if a person smokes, drinks alcohol, or drinks liquids with caffeine.\nPreventive measures to ease the discomfort and maybe having a prolonged cold, it is important to get as much rest as possible and drink the eight glasses of water you should already be drinking.\nIf people don't take care of the common cold, it could lead to other infections that love a body with lowered resistance. You do not stay away from crowds to keep others from getting a cold; you stay away from crowds to prevent getting further infections that could very well lead to pneumonia or pleurisy; both which are serious.\nFollowing common sense will help you cure the cold quickly. However it still will run its course. As far as vitamin C and zinc, it is OK as long as you do not exceed the daily recommended dosage. If you exceed the dosage, you will be a person with a common cold that has taken too much vitamin C and zinc, which incidentally is not so good for the health.
3984
PREVENTION!  take a zinc a day to keep the colds away...but if you already have it...Lots of sleep, soup, and puffs plus!
3016
The best way to fight a cold would be to drink some orange juice,or just get alot of vitamin c. It works for me. Hopes it works for you.