What is the most frequent illness in the U.S., occurring 100 million times per year? What accounts for 30 million lost workdays, 30 million lost school days, and 32 million visits to the doctor each year? The answer to each question is the common cold.

According to the recent pharmacy newsletter, “The Rx Consultant,” it is estimated that 75 percent of individuals with colds self-treat with over-the-counter drugs which include antihistamines, decongestants, cough medicines, expectorants, painkillers and a staggering assortment of combination products. There are over 800 drug store remedies with a collective list of side effects which includes: increased pulse rate, palpitations, dizziness, increased blood pressure, nervousness, irritability, insomnia, drowsiness, dry mouth, urinary retention, blurred vision, stomach upset, nausea, lightheadedness and constipation. There is even evidence to suggest that a couple of these synthetic ingredients actually suppress the antibody response, increase the duration of nasal symptoms and prolong viral shedding.

A cold is an assortment of symptoms affecting the upper respiratory system. These symptoms typically include a runny or congested nose, sneezing, cough and sore throat. Colds are generally self-limiting in healthy individuals and last about a week or less. If one’s immune system is not up to par, colds can last longer or result in complications like sinus infections, earaches, bronchitis and pneumonia, although the latter two are more commonly associated with the flu. The common complaints that generally differentiate cold and flu symptoms are fever and aches and pains (usually with flu).

We are often asked to share what we do when we get a cold or the flu. Our response is that we rarely get colds and flu because of preventative measures. Our vitamin program is very high in immune system nutrients and we take an ancient Chinese herbal resistance building blend which contains astragalus, ganoderma mushroom, schizandra, ginger and more. However, for the rare occasions we do need help, we rely on a variety of natural products.

Our arsenal of natural warriors includes the homeopathic medicines, Echinacea, goldenseal, vitamins A and C, bee propolis, as well as zinc and elderberry lozenges. Even though the flu is caused by a completely different set of viruses, our protocol changes mainly in the zinc and elderberry lozenges and the homeopathic remedy with which we quell the symptoms.

If ever there were a therapy that fits the first law of medicine, “first do no harm,” it would be homeopathy. Homeopathic medicine is a 200-year-old natural system that is based on the practice of treating like with like, where symptoms are treated with minute quantities of natural substances that would normally bring on those same symptoms if taken in significantly larger quantities. It is generally regarded as safe, has no unwanted side effects, is effective, non addictive, and can be used by children, the elderly and even babies. Some of the many remedies that are recommended for colds and flu are:

The effects of hedera helix are widespread and especially for symptoms of the mucous membranes. It is one of the most successful remedies in the treatment of bronchial asthma, inflammations of the sinuses, congestion and pharyngitis.

Luffa’s effect extends to the mucous membranes of the nose, the throat, and the para-nasal sinuses. Luffa elicits excellent results in cases of head colds, as well as allergies, with a tendency to either a runny or stuffy nose. Additionally, fatigue associated with colds and headaches are favorably affected.

Pulsatilla extract has a marked effect on all mucous membranes. This leads to its homeopathic use in cases of acute colds, acute or chronic congestion, laryngitis and bronchitis.

In addition to being good for runny nose and dry cough, Eupatorium also relieves headache and overall body aches and pains.

Bryonia is especially effective for body aches worsened by movement. It is beneficial for nose, throat and bronchial involvement, as well as headache.

Gelsemium is a remedy which keys in on weakness and heavy limbs associated with flu symptoms. It relieves sneezing and dry, rough throat, and has been used extensively for fever and flu symptoms including headache, sore neck and shoulder muscles.

Homeopathic medicine is used worldwide, and to avoid confusion, medicines are referred to by their Latin binomials. The good news is that many of these ingredients are available in user-friendly combinations. Three ethical companies who make consistently effective products are Boericke & Tafel (America’s oldest homeopathic company), Homeophyters (a line of products sold exclusively at Great Earth Vitamin Stores), and Dolisos America (a French company that is one of the world’s largest homeopathic manufacturers). Their products are called Alpha CF, Homeophyter Cold, Cough or Influenza, and Cold and Flu Energy Medicine, respectively.

Goldenseal is a potent botanical with a rich history of use among Native Americans, particularly those of the Cherokee tribe. Goldenseal’s potent properties are primarily due to the alkaloids berberine, hydrastine and canadine. These phytonutrient alkaloids produce a strong astringent effect on mucous membranes, reduce inflammation and have antiseptic effects.

One of goldenseal’s alkaloids was at one time an official drug; hydrastine was entered in the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) from 1905–1926, and was classified as an hemostatic (an agent that stops hemorrhage). Recent research has corroborated this and other biological activities. Goldenseal possesses cytotoxic activity which indicates that it is useful against viruses. Its antibacterial properties have been well-established since 1950, especially against E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Berberine, another of goldenseal’s alkaloids, was found to have anti-convulsive effects on the intestines and uterus.

Note: Goldenseal should not be taken in too large a dose or for too long a period of time due to its capacity to overstimulate the nervous system and because its alkaloids are eliminated slowly from the body.

Centuries ago Native Americans collected the root of the purple coneflower, Echinacea. Several species of Echinacea were collected and cherished by at least 14 tribes. This herb was a favorite folk medicine wherever it grew. Currently Echinacea has been the subject of more than 350 scientific studies. In laboratory testing Echinacea increases the immune defense system’s function in almost every way. The active phytonutrients in Echinacea are echinacosides and essential oils.

Echinacea increases the total number of defense system cells and developing cells within the bone marrow and lymphatic tissue, and speeds their development into immunocompetent cells. It speeds their release into circulation so more are present in the blood and lymph, and it increases their activity. In other words it causes cells responsible for engulfing and destroying invading organisms to do so more quickly. Echinacea also helps increase the reaction of body processes involved in the production of chemicals in the defense system, like interferon and interleukins.

In 1972 Echinacea was shown to possess significant anti-tumor activity in experiments with rats. Antiviral activity was reported in 1978 showing that Echinacea was effective in destroying herpes and influenza viruses. Work in 1956 demonstrated the powerful antibacterial properties of Echinacea. European laboratories have reported the activation of human lymphocytes and the increased rate of phagocytosis and macrophage activation by Echinacea. Recent research has confirmed that Echinacea also inhibits an enzyme called hyaluronidase, which bacteria use to ride into body cells and cause infection. This inhibition may help wound-healing by stimulating new tissue formation.

For convenience most people prefer to use a standardized combination of Echinacea and goldenseal in tablet form.

It was not until the mid-1980s that the active ingredients in elderberry, which were effective in treating influenza viruses, were discovered. Dr. Jean Lindenman, the developer of interferon, first suggested the potential of the elderberry as a research project due to its long folk history. With medicinal plants increasingly under the scrutiny of modern scientists, laboratory work was first begun by isolating active principles of proteins derived from the elderberry plant. Tests were performed against various strains of influenza and it was found that two of the active ingredients effectively combated the virus.

Viruses cannot replicate themselves on their own. They must invade living cells and alter their function. If one can stop the virus from entering the cell, one has defeated the disease. The flu virus invades cells by puncturing their walls with tiny spikes, called hemagglutinin, that cover its surface. The active ingredients in elderberry actually disarm the spikes, binding to them and thus preventing them from piercing the cell membrane. The viral spikes are covered with an enzyme called neuraminidase, which acts to break down the cell wall. Bioflavonoids, also present in high concentration in elderberries, may inhibit the action of this enzyme.

In 1992 a team of Israeli scientists and physicians formulated a product containing the active elderberry ingredients combined with other natural components. The Helsinki Committee, a worldwide organization which approves patient studies, approved a clinical trial and a double-blind study which was carried out on patients infected with the flu virus during an epidemic in southern Israel. Within 24 hours the symptoms, fever, cough and muscle pain had significantly improved in 20 percent of the patients. After the second day another 75 percent were clearly much improved, and in three days a complete cure was achieved in over 90 percent of the patients studied. Among the control group only eight percent of patients showed an improvement after 24 hours, and for the remaining 92 percent, improvement was observed within six days or more.

Tests were also conducted on patients to determine the presence of influenza antibodies. It was found that the level of antibodies was higher in patients receiving the elderberry extract versus those receiving the placebo, indicating an enhanced defense response in those patients.

Vitamin C is necessary as an antioxidant nutrient. It is essential for wound-healing and affects immune responses. Research conducted by the late Dr. Linus Pauling and other researchers suggests that vitamin C may also help prevent a cold and/or reduce the length of the cold.

Vitamin A is necessary for the health of mucous membranes. These membranes are highly irritated in individuals with a cold. Vitamin A is also necessary for the health of the thymus gland. It is the function of the thymus to produce certain immune system chemicals that fight against illnesses such as the cold and flu viruses.

Propolis is a resinous substance collected from various plants by bees. It is used in the construction of and to seal the cracks in the bee hive. Due to its antibacterial/antiviral properties it prevents microorganisms from invading the hive and causing illness; bee propolis is often called “the honey-bee’s antibiotic.” Bee propolis may provide important nutritional support to individuals suffering from the common cold or flu.

Double-blind research has indicated that when zinc was given to human subjects in a lozenge form prior to exposure to the cold virus, they were less likely to become ill. Furthermore individuals who already had a cold and were given zinc lozenges experienced a reduction in the length and severity of their cold symptoms.

In one particular study conducted at the Cleveland Clinic, 100 employees who signed up within 24 hours after developing cold symptoms were given lozenges to be taken every two hours while awake for the duration of their illness. The patients assigned to zinc experienced significantly shorter colds, with reductions in the time to complete resolution of symptoms (4.4 versus 7.6 days), and the number of days with each of the following symptoms: cough, headache, hoarseness, nasal congestion, runny nose and sore throat.

The following regimen is not intended to take the place of the advice of one’s personal health care professional. It is an example of how we might manage our own health if the need presented itself.

• Dry Vitamin A—A one-time only loading dose of 200,000 international units (IU). This seems like a lot but we are advocating one dose only per cold episode.
• Esterified and Buffered Vitamin C—2000 mg (four capsules of 500 mg each) every two hours for two days, then three times daily for five days. If this is not the exact formulation of vitamin C one has at home, do not follow these instructions; it may cause an adverse reaction.
• Echinacea—Using a good standardized Echinacea/goldenseal tablet, two tablets three times daily for two days, then one tablet three times daily thereafter for at least seven to 10 days.
• Bee Propolis—Five tablets three times daily for four days.
• Zinc lozenges—Two zinc lozenges, dissolved slowly in the mouth (one after the other). Thereafter one lozenge every two hours while awake; repeat for four days.
• Elderberry lozenges—One lozenge four times daily for four days.
• Homeopathies—Match medicines to symptoms. Remember that they are considered safe and have no side effects. Anyone, including little children, can use them regardless of other medications one may be required to take. Use Cold Remedy for stuffiness, runny nose, hoarseness, phlegm, etc.; use Cough Remedy for cough.

Remember that colds and flu are caused by viruses, not bacteria, and that means that prescription antibiotics will not affect them. Before accepting antibiotics ask the physician why he is prescribing them and make sure s/he has a good reason. Make sure s/he is not simply contributing to the growing resistant-bacterial strain problem. On the other hand consider contacting a physician if: the patient is a child less than two years of age, a persistent headache or a rash is present, a fever is very high for more than 24 hours, harsh symptoms persist for more than two weeks or a child’s cough lasts more than 10 days. These symptoms may indicate a more serious condition requiring medical attention.