Shifting a cold

[Studentnursesos12e]

Hi
I appreciate this is v minor, v common etc.

Any tips for shifting a cold? I’m taking vitamins, drinking plenty and eating lots of oranges (vitamin C) . However I’m a student nurse working placement during the day, library evening and nights and bank shifts or library at the weekend.

I’ve taken some decongestants and paracetamol.

I’m vegetarian so no chicken soup haha.

Thanks xx

It's a bit late to start taking vitamins if you already have a cold. The symptoms of a cold come on when your immune system is already dealing with it (it's not the virus that makes you feel ill: it's your immune response to the virus).

There was a big systematic review of vitamin C & colds published in 2013 (www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD000980.pub4/full). It suggested that only regular supplementation - i.e. taking it all the time - had an effect on duration of colds, but not on whether or not you get them.

Antihistamines and paracetamol will mask most of the symptoms.

You can also try nasal irrigation with a neilmed sinus rinse kit.

It won't help you this time but get some Vicks First Defence to have on hand. It's a nasal spray you need to use the instant you notice cold symptoms. It has to be used within 24 hours of you noticing, but the earlier the better. It's headed off several colds now for both me and hubby.

Yes I think once it has taken hold there’s not much you can do to shorten the duration. Just keep hydrated and try not to overdo it (hard I know).
Some people swear by echinacea or vitamin c and zinc but not sure the science supports it. Especially once you’re a few days in.

I keep first defence by my bed now! I tend to come down with things in the night so the minute I feel a sore throat coming on I take this.

For long term immune health then vitamin d over the winter is good and eating well. Gut health is important for immunity.

I’ve found berroca much better than standard vitamins for coping with a cold. I’m not sure it’s a fix but it’s an amazing pick me up.

Echinacea. I was sceptical but bought some to please my DD and she was right. It works!

I've got this bug that's going around too. Rest (if you can), plenty of fluids, paracetamol and ibuprofen x

Massive doses of vitamin C to maximum tolerance - which with Vit C is unmistakeable, it's when your bowels turn to water. When you reach this point then ease back on your dose. I get there by taking 1 or 2 1g effervescent ones every hour. Then reduce the dose and increase the time between doses.

I recently read research which demonstrates that zinc is highly effective in preventing colds and also in shortening the length of their duration.

I eat tons of fish, which is rich in zinc, and very rarely get a cold so this resonates with me.

Fish is not rich in zinc.

Shellfish are rich in zinc (molluscs - especially oysters - but also crustaceans like crabs & lobsters). Some fish contain measurable quantities of zinc but not significant amounts. Flounder & sole, for example, would give you about 2% of your daily requirement from a 100-gram serving. Meat is a much better source of zinc than fish.

ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional/#h3