Survive The Cold Season

The cold season is near! Every year a few weeks after the kids begin school, people start getting sick. Another wave happens as the cooler weather and winter arrives. With winter, comes the cold season. Here is my favorite stack of supplements to help with the common cold.

Great for preventing, reducing symptoms, and duration of the common cold

• 2-4 grams of vitamin C
• 75-150mg of zinc
• 1-3 daily sachets of Immune boosting Chinese herbs

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After experimenting for years with immune boosting supplements, this has proven to be the best combination. This “stack” of vitamins and herbs can be used as you feel the onset of a cold making so that you never fully get sick. You can also start taking these in the middle of a cold allowing you to quickly reduce symptoms and recover faster. Sometimes this will even knock out a cold before it starts.

Vitamin C
There are many studies showing how vitamin C can reduce the incidence, severity, and duration of the common cold. It is hypothesized that this famous vitamin serves a significant role in immune cell tasks like those of phagocytes and T-cells. Immune cells like these can accumulate vitamin C because of the cell’s dependency on the vitamin (3). There is some controversy whether vitamin C really reduces the effects of the common cold. I believe it is much more effective than not for reducing the incidence, severity, and duration of a cold.

Vitamin C is also an antioxidant, preventing the body from oxidative stress. Oxidative stress often results from the body’s inability to detoxify harmful and highly reactive molecules like free radicals. Vitamin C reacts with these molecules making them stable and ready for elimination.

Zinc
Zinc serves a major role in the immune system. This mineral is heavily involved with many types of immune cells like neutrophils, natural killer cells, T-cells, and B-cells. These cells are directly involved in fighting off pathogens like viruses and bacteria. Countless studies show the positive effects of zinc supplementation in reducing cold symptoms and duration. Many studies also show that a zinc deficiency will result in a depressed immune system. Since zinc is one of the most commonly deficient minerals in humans, it is to no surprise that most will experience lessened cold symptoms from supplementation due to the boost in their immune system.

There are other benefits to zinc supplementation like an increase in testosterone in both men and women. Increased libido is common in women and increase in fertility is common in men.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Herbs – T-175 formula
There are many herbs that can support your immune system and help you fight off colds. I have found this blend to work the best of any so far. These Chinese Herbs have been used successfully for thousands of years. There may or may not be studies showing their efficacy to support the immune system and some are less understood by western research. In my opinion, any herb that has been used successfully for thousands of years and is gaining recognition here in the West will usually be effective for most.

How these herbs work is quite complex or not fully understood, so here are very laymen explanations:

Astragalus Root – Helps fight off viruses, contains antioxidants, and is also categorized as an adaptogen or “normalizer”.
Ledebouriella Root - Helps support the immune system and the treat the common cold.
Atractylodes Rhizome – Possibly helps symptoms caused by the common cold.

I personally swear by this immune boosting protocol at the first signs of a cold. Contact Jerry to learn more about supplement protocols and importance of quality.

References:
1. Gorton HC, Jarvis K. The effectiveness of vitamin C in preventing and relieving the symptoms of virus-induced respiratory infections. 1999 Oct;22(8):530-3.
2. Sasazuki S, Sasaki S, Tsubono Y, Okubo S, Hayashi M, Tsugane S. Effect of vitamin C on common cold: randomized controlled trial. 2006 Jan;60(1):9-17.
3. Ströhle A, Hahn A. [Vitamin C and immune function], [Article in German]. 2009 Feb;32(2):49-54; quiz 55-6.
4. Hulisz D. Efficacy of zinc against common cold viruses: an overview. 2004 Sep-Oct;44(5):594-603.
5. Haase H, Mocchegiani E, Rink L. Correlation between zinc status and immune function in the elderly. 2006 Oct-Dec;7(5-6):421-8.
6. Zinc, oxidative stress, genetic background and immunosenescence: implications for healthy ageing. Mocchegiani E, Malavolta M, Marcellini F, Pawelec G. 2006 Jun 26;3:6.
7. Clement-Kruzel S, Hwang SA, Kruzel MC, Dasgupta A, Actor JK. Immune modulation of macrophage pro-inflammatory response by goldenseal and Astragalus extracts. 2008 Sep;11(3):493-8.
8. Shao BM, Xu W, Dai H, Tu P, Li Z, Gao XM. A study on the immune receptors for polysaccharides from the roots of Astragalus membranaceus, a Chinese medicinal herb. 2004 Aug 6;320(4):1103-11.

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