What do you take for a cold

[m_c]

As has been said, there's not much you can do, other than take something to alleviate the symptoms.

My preference is the Day/Night version of Lemsip Max Strength, as the night capsules don't have an caffeine.
I also take Vitamin C with Zinc to try and boost my immune system.

 

[Onoff]

A large spoonful of real honey, a high number Manuka, I find great for a sore throat. Just let it slide down and coat everything. I've eased a cold symptoms before by having a jar on hand throughout the early stages. I've used this local one too. Supposed to help with hay fever if you can get it, made from plants / the pollens causing the issue is apparently best). I can't attest to that as I'm not a sufferer.

https://flic.kr/p/2nZnD2i

 

[Bodach]

Garlic capsule every day and I have not missed a day since lockdown.

 

[SierraV6]

There are some good suggestions in this thread in my lay(!) opinion (and based on experience to be fair).

If you really want the “nuclear option” there’s always hydrogen peroxide. Note that I’m not a doctor, but I also don’t suffer lingering colds….

 

[Seadog]

IIRC the common cold unit at Porton Down closed after 50 or more years without a solution medication being discovered for the common cold .
I often think that state of mind is a major factor in kicking a common cold for a lot of people , the more you get depressed with it the worse its effect seem to be .

Though I confess since the first & subsequent anti Covid( after the event for me & my lass) & annual essential worker then as an at risk person later in life for anti flu injections & boosters I've not had much more that a snotty nose for a few days. in years .

The common cold is the same viral family as Covid. It mutates regularly so, in fact, it's not really common, since you are unlikely to be affected by the same strain twice. In fact your immune system shoukd preclude suffering twice from the same strain.

 

[Seadog]

There are some good suggestions in this thread in my lay(!) opinion (and based on experience to be fair).

If you really want the “nuclear option” there’s always hydrogen peroxide. Note that I’m not a doctor, but I also don’t suffer lingering colds….

Bleach?

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

A large spoonful of real honey, a high number Manuka, I find great for a sore throat.

I find this works very well...originally I thought it was nonsense but it usually helps if I have a cough. Has to be direct from the spoon.

I looked into it a while ago...seems that the honey has a similar viscosity to the natural stuff that gets stripped away from your throat when you cough a lot.

 

[SierraV6]

The common cold is the same viral family as Covid. It mutates regularly so, in fact, it's not really common, since you are unlikely to be affected by the same strain twice. In fact your immune system shoukd preclude suffering twice from the same strain.

There are over 200 viruses and strains thereof which cause the common cold IIRC; as you say that’s why symptomatic infections are so, err, common….

There’s only one strain of Covid but it mutates into variants. It’s an interesting one to say the least….

Bleach?

Nah, it’s just water with a bit of extra oxygen!

(That is actually what it is for anyone not aware; the chemical formula is H2O2).

 

[jo1010]

....
Vitamin C has been mentioned as being helpful in preventing and treating the common cold, but there doesn't seem to be any real evidence in favour of this.

The idea behind vit C is that it disinfects the gut - where most of the nasties accumulate (they need nutrients just as we do)- so regular very large (gram) doses throughout the day disrupts their ability to replicate. People need to get to 'bowel tolerance' with the dosing though - often 60g per day, which then reduces back to a dose that doesn't produce bowel loosening.....for a few days/ or a week until symptoms resolve. Supplementing vit D and zinc is also said to be handy immune support....
Understandably not everyone wants to do such a protocol as it can be challenging - my experience is that it does work as long as it's caught early enough - if the virus has replicated nothing much will help! And if we're talking about COVID a slightly different approach is needed.

 

[voipio]

There are over 200 viruses and strains thereof which cause the common cold IIRC; as you say that’s why symptomatic infections are so, err, common….

There’s only one strain of Covid but it mutates into variants. It’s an interesting one to say the least….



Nah, it’s just water with a bit of extra oxygen!

(That is actually what it is for anyone not aware; the chemical formula is H2O2).

Common or garden bleach is sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl). H2O2 is hydrogen peroxide, which has bleaching properties, but not really bleach, although it is referred to as non-chlorine bleach. Having said that, the Wikipedia entry for bleach includes H2O2, so what do I know!! ;-) What I do know is that confusing NaOCl with H2O2 could have potentially fatal consequences.

 

[DAPPH]

All that effort wasted spraying commuters on the underground and the Unit had nothing to show for it.

As for the annual anti flu injection, I want to step a little careful here as many swear having them works.

I stopped having AF, years ago, I don't care what they say--I don't care-- when told it being a dead virus or part of, everytime I had one I went down with a rotten cold.

That's you immune system discovering & starting to get itself in condition for kicking out the dead virus thus enabling your immune system to grow in strength .. A bit like beating a walnut tree to get the sap flowing for a stronger tree & better crop.
The exercise thing that will also get more oxygenated blood through the muscles being used so help then from going like a pound of butter in the fridge .

As a family we do use a quality echinacea as dry pressed tablet form when we are not in tip top form ...... 3 tabs three times a day for three days .. seems to give a system boost

 

[cheb]

H2O2 isn't nice stuff either. Read up on high test peroxide, as used in rocket motors.

 

[brewdexta]

My paternal grandma used to make up a fowl mixture of malt extract, butter and vinegar and other weapons grade nausea inducing ingredients, warmed up just enough to melt the butter. It didn't work in a real sense but nobody claimed they had a stinking cold due to fear of this concoction being forced down their neck.

 

[lchris21]

...cant help with remedies or containment sorry, but something to consider, Ive been taking Vitamin D for about 3 years as recommended as part of a nutrition appraisal, Ive not had a cold since ..................your mileage may vary

 

[Onoff]

I looked into it a while ago...seems that the honey has a similar viscosity to the natural stuff that gets stripped away from your throat when you cough a lot.

Hmmm...I use honey when I say to SWMBO "I've got a sore throat, I think I'm coming down with something!" Then she cracks the man flu jokes.

The thing is, I haven't even started coughing by then to strip the natural stuff off...

The viscosity thing I'd not heard. I thought it was to do with the antibacterial properties of honey, not sure if it applies to all honey though. All I know is it works. A big spoonful, swallow slowly and try and let it coat the sore area. Can bring almost instant relief.

 

[DAPPH]

My paternal grandma used to make up a fowl mixture of malt extract, butter and vinegar and other weapons grade nausea inducing ingredients, warmed up just enough to melt the butter. It didn't work in a real sense but nobody claimed they had a stinking cold due to fear of this concoction being forced down their neck.

Are we related .. ?

Back in the1950's my mum did similar also adding white pepper , a grating of nutmeg ,tinned milk & some icing sugar sugar .

We had HPP for lighting and an old open kitchen range fire in the only heated room of our hovel ,no running water & no electric . Come visits from Jack Frost all the windows & sometime the internal walls got his signature , us four kids were really slapped hard with chest problems as a result . As were most farm labourers kids at the Lincolnshire county primary school 7 or so miles away .

 

[Erie Fred]

...cant help with remedies or containment sorry, but something to consider, Ive been taking Vitamin D for about 3 years as recommended as part of a nutrition appraisal, Ive not had a cold since ..................your mileage may vary

D works with Zinc.

 

[DAPPH]

Hmmm...I use honey when I say to SWMBO "I've got a sore throat, I think I'm coming down with something!" Then she cracks the man flu jokes.

The thing is, I haven't even started coughing by then to strip the natural stuff off...

The viscosity thing I'd not heard. I thought it was to do with the antibacterial properties of honey, not sure if it applies to all honey though. All I know is it works. A big spoonful, swallow slowly and try and let it coat the sore area. Can bring almost instant relief.

Propolis from bee hives & nests has long been known for it's soothing antibiotic properties . If you can get it in its raw state , its like chewing a very hard sliver of toffee that last longer than a bit of chewing gum . I loved the taste .


W In th 80's &90s had 100 summer full of brood bee hives and 50 neuc boxes on the go all season , collecting the scrap wax with propolis scrapings that the bees used to seal cracks & small spaces was a lovely exercise for it was put in the solar melter and as the wax melted and ran into a bowl the propolis stayed in the melting dish ..giving of a fantastic delicate floral smell .

I often put a 15 grams of propolis into 250 ml of vodka to make a tincture which sold like hot cakes .

 

[Morrisman]

Just took the daughter to see the GP again, he has given her antibiotic this time, in case she has something else going on other than just flu.

First year of covid she was at uni in Nottingham, and had multiple sessions of a heavy chesty cough, every month or two, and the GP there just kept prescribing antibiotics, again and again. I reckon they’ve devastated her immune system.

 

[DAPPH]

The latest round of various seasonable flu is up on us according to several MSN posted news sources .
5 million doses of vaccine have been ordered by the UK government & it's made int he UK

All picked out the same bucket of MSN's constantly regurgitated rubbish )