Digestive Disorders – Detoxification

A co-worker of mine once had a troublesome cold a while back for weeks on end and because I had to add to my workload by splitting his share up with the rest in the office, I told him of a method to use as a cure for the common cold used by the Indians and some West Africans. (Okay, I’m not that insensitive-I told him this because I cared!)

This method is known in Sanskrit (the Indian Language) as Neti or “Nasal Irrigation). It is the cleaning of the nasal portion of the respiratory system whose function is to allow air to come in contact with the circulating blood so exchange of the gases can happen. If this sounds a little bit complex if you need a cure for your cold and are not trying to read all these facts, just believe this works as a cure for the common cold the way nothing else can. (well besides a fast…)

Neti (nasal irrigation) is unmatched in its ability to.

1. Clear the nostrils for freer breathing.

2. Reduce excess mucus.

3. Moisten the nasal canal; strengthen the eyes, because there is stimulation of the blood vessels of the nose and eyes via nasal irrigation.

Cure for the Common cold: Using Nasal irrigation (neti).

1. Using un-iodized TABLE SALT, add a level teaspoon of salt to 24 oz warm water.

2. Wash your neti pot (which is available in most health food stores).

3. Re- rinse internally and externally with drinking water.

4. Fill the pot (which holds about 8 oz) with the saline solution.

5. Now tilt your head so your right nostril is uppermost over a sink or large basin.

6. Pour the solution into the nostril and ensure to keep the mouth open to breathe.

7. After it all comes out, remain motionless for 30 seconds or so then blow the nose thoroughly and rinse out the mouth with drinking water.

Repeat steps 1-7 on the right nostril pouring through the left this time.

You can bend forward to ensure it all drips out or preferably perform 10-15 rounds of bellows breath (a breathing exercise that entails forcefully pulling the belly back towards the spine which pushes the stagnant air out of the lungs) to get all the solution out.

I found it pleasant and soothing after practicing it only once. Besides aiding as a cure for the common cold, it also ensures that blocked nasal passages as a result of irritants and pollutants are well loosened.

Furthermore it is said to have a marked cleansing effect on the sinuses and mind and helps to clean the anterior regions of the upper palate housing the olfactory organs. It even helps to cleanse to some degree the inner workings of the ear. Children using this product should be supervised by an able adult.

Cure for the Common Cold: Dietetic Suggestions.

Moreover, to target the root cause of the common cold, now will be a good time to try one kind of a fast which could be.

1. The use of Fresh Fruit juices.

2. The Broth of succulent and tasty steamed vegetables such as celery, cabbage etc.

3. A mono-diet of a seasonal juicy fruit.

If like most people, you just cannot fast, well see to it that you abstain from all types of Animal Products, Breads, Grains and beans during this time. These substances have been known to either cause or aggravate the common cold along with other diseases and conditions including but not limited to the flu, asthma and diabetes.

This fact is based on research performed the renowned French Hygienist, Albert Mosseri and based on my personal experiences with curing my asthma, I definitely advocate his opinions. A good replacement for the less beneficial items listed above will be fresh fruits, roots and leafy vegetables for fuel.

So don’t be fooled into spending your money on drugs and nasal sprays as a cure for the common cold, it, like any other disease, can be alleviated by common-sense drugless healing alternatives, if only you know how.

With the steps above, you, like my co-worker, now know exactly how to cure you cold naturally for long-term success.

The aptly named common cold hits nearly every one of us on a regular basis and once a single family member has it, it can spread quickly and viciously. While the cold itself is relatively harmless it still presents almost crippling symptoms. The common misconception is that you can fight a cold, essentially getting on with your life and trying to ignore the problem. This is much more likely to prolong the agony as a pose to beating it. In preference to turning to the pharmacist there are natural ways to reduce the recovery time and relieve the nagging symptoms of a cold.

Rest

The misconception that exercise will help to sweat out a cold is misleading. The body needs to be able to fight the cold infection and by exercising or being excessively active you are reducing its capability to do this. Resting allows the body to fully combat the cold virus. The immune system and various immune functions within the body are strengthened or generated during sleep. It is these that will help your body beat the cold.

Water

When suffering from a cold the body is susceptible to becoming dehydrated. In order to prevent this it is absolutely essential that sufferers drink plenty of water. The recommended eight glasses of water a day is the absolute minimum that you should be aiming to drink when suffering from a cold. For this reason, water can help to further strengthen the immune system and subsequently beat the infection.

Vitamin C

It may sound something your mom or your grandmother would try to convince you but it is widely believed to be true. However, too much vitamin C can cause diarrhea and possible even kidney stones. Many proponents of vitamin C as a cold remedy would argue that 1,000mg every hour is not damaging and will help to reduce the time a person suffers from a cold. However, it has been medically proven that 250mg has the same positive effects as any larger dose with fewer and less severe side effects. The best way to obtain this level of vitamin C is through fruit juices because this also provides a good source of extra fluid.

Garlic

Garlic is another age old herbal remedy for colds. It helps to strengthen the immune system and is also a good antiviral. Putting garlic in meals will help to prevent colds and can also reduce the suffering time of patients. The best way to consume the garlic is freshly ground and raw. Many people would find this a struggle, especially because a lot of people eat as many as three or four cloves as soon as they show symptoms of a cold.

Elderberry Extracts

Elderberries may look harmless but to the cold virus they are far from it. It is a powerful antiviral as well as being a highly effective prophylactic. As an antiviral it can help to stave off the actual infection causing the cold, and its prophylactic properties strengthens and rejuvenates the immune system. Elderberry and blueberries are among the best varieties of fruit a cold sufferer can eat for these very reasons.

The Immune System’s Role

You will have probably noticed that almost all of these remedies are strongly based around the strengthening of the immune system. This is because there is essentially no cure for the common cold and we are forced to rely on our bodies to fend off the infection. In order to do this, the immune system needs to be as strong as possible and the stronger it is the less suffering will be required.

The effects of the common cold can interfere with your daily routine, make you miss work or school and generally make you feel miserable. Scientists, researchers and the regular folks still debate about the fastest cure for common colds. Is it zinc? Is it Vitamin C? Is it chicken soup? Or, is it a combination of factors including adequate rest and good nutrition?

The effects of the common cold are not usually serious. Sometimes a cold can lead to a sinus, throat or ear infection. Even bronchitis sometimes starts out as a cold. Some people seem to get over colds more quickly than others. Most researchers believe that people with stronger immune systems recover more quickly, though there are some who disagree with this opinion. In an effort to come up with the fastest cure for common colds, scientists have come up with a zinc nasal spray or gel, which is supposed to reduce the duration of a cold to as little as two days, when taken within the first day or so after noticing symptoms.

The drawback to this treatment is that it can cause a person to permanently lose their sense of smell. Zinc lozenges are sometimes recommended and they are not believed to have the same negative side effects, but questions about their effectiveness still remain.

During the seventies and eighties, vitamin C was believed to be the fastest cure for common colds. Many clinical studies support this belief, but some do not. The biggest problems that scientists run into when investigating the effects of the common cold and evaluating treatments for it are that some people recover quickly without any treatment at all and some people who are infected with the virus never experience any symptoms. Then there is the placebo effect.

Many people show improvement in symptoms from any number of conditions when they are taking a placebo, which contains no active components. In order to avoid this, scientists perform “double-blind studies”, which means that neither the person who receives the treatment nor the person who administers the treatment knows who is getting a placebo and who is getting the product being investigated. When it comes to vitamins and other natural products, such as herbs, there are specific tastes and odors that cannot be eliminated. So, in many cases study participants are able to “guess” what they got. If these herbs or vitamins reduce or improve the effects of the common cold, some scientists are concerned that the results are invalid, because of the placebo effect or the participants ability to “un-blind” themselves.

Both clinical and laboratory research have shown that a number of natural products may be effective for preventing and relieving the effects of the common cold. These are not always highly advertised, because they are usually health or dietary supplements, which, by law, cannot claim to prevent or cure any disease. Although the fastest cure for common colds may be among them, they cannot be advertised as such. To learn more about these products, visit the Immune System Booster Guide.

Modern research has found that many of the home cures for the common cold used by our ancestors have merit. There are thousands of scientific studies about orange juice, chicken soup, herbal, black and green tea and the common cold. Some of the components of these and other natural remedies may help prevent, as well as treat viral infections. Since there is no real cure, pharmaceutical concoctions may be ineffective and often have unwanted side effects, home cures for the common cold may be the best option.

Anti-oxidants. This is what we hear the most about. Fruits and vegetables contain the most, but chicken is a good source of selenium, a trace element necessary for proper immune system function. Studies concerning green tea and the common cold focused on the polyphenons or catechins, the anti-oxidants found in green, black and some herbal teas. Anti-oxidants work by destroying free radicals and reducing cellular damage. Thus, much study has related to cancer treatment and prevention.

Perhaps one of the oldest home cures for the common cold, recent scientific studies of the health benefits of green tea have been ongoing for at least the last thirty years. In the late seventies it was found the catechins from green tea prevented crop damage from the tobacco mosaic virus by suppressing the growth of the virus. Most of what we know about viruses today has come from studying plant viruses like the tobacco mosaic. In the early nineties, one research group found that both anti-oxidants derived from green and black tea had a strong effect on the influenza virus and concluded that these could inhibit viral activity.

Fruit juices have long been considered home cures for the common cold. Both lemon and orange juice are excellent sources of vitamin C, one of the best known anti-oxidants. There have been hundreds more studies about vitamin C and the common cold than there have about green tea and the common cold. Numerous books have been written on the subject. While some researchers disagree about the amount of vitamin C necessary for overall good health, the majority of the research indicates that the need for vitamin C supplementation increases when a person has a cold. Blood tests have shown that levels of vitamin C in the blood stream are quickly depleted during a viral infection.

Other home cures for the common cold include mullein tea (temporarily opens clogged breathing passages and soothes the throat) and horehound tea (relieves coughs). Eating a regular meal is difficult when the nose is stuffy, but maintaining and even improving nutrition during a cold is important. Warm teas and soups may help relieve symptoms and improve appetite. Spices, such as ginger, garlic, turmeric and black pepper are natural immune system boosters and when added to warm soup may go a long way to make you feel a lot better.