Articles by Dr. Erdman are for informational purposes, and are not to be taken as specific medical advice.
Here we are in the midst of cold and flu season. I’ve
written many articles on why you should shun the flu vaccine for good health.
But, as life would have it, there are times we all succumb to the common cold
virus. The old coughing, sneezing, stuffy head, sore throat and chest
congestion complex is no fun at all.
If you are already taking the necessary immune building
precautions, like taking extra vitamin D3 and K2, reducing sugar intake and
washing your hands regularly, what else is there to do? Well, the only thing
left is to boost the immune response to an even greater level.
At the first signs of a cold immediately avoid all sugars,
grains, artificial sweeteners and processed foods.
Here is a list of foods you should start to eat for
strengthening the immune response:
- -fermented foods in the raw, like kimchee,
pickles and sauerkraut
- -raw organic eggs from pastured chickens are a
complete food
- -organic grass fed beef is high in vitamin
A&E, omega-3 fatty acids, beta-carotene and zinc
- -Conjugated linoleic acid
(CLA), an immune enhancer, is 3-5 times higher in grass fed animals than grain
fed animals.
- - raw organic mild is high in vitamins A and zinc.
Do not drink pasteurized milk.
- -coconut oil contains lauric acid that turns into
monolaurin which destroys the protective barrier viruses have around them.
- - apple cider vinegar is antifungal, antivirus,
antibacterial and anti-inflammatory.
- - garlic has the antibacterial, antiviral and
anti-fungal properties.
- - organic vegetables: the darker green the better
they are.
There are many immune boosting supplements and extracts too.
I surely can’t give you a comprehensive list, but here are some of the most
effective and easily procured:
- -zinc; research has shown that when 50 mg/day are
taken from the start, it reduces the time of a cold by 24 hours. Which just
happens to be the amount that Tamiflu advertises as its’ benefit. Who needs the
shot then?
- -olive leaf extract is a non-toxic immune builder
- - oregano oil is high in carvocrol, which is
antimicrobial
- -peppermint oil helps ease congestion so you can
sleep and feel better
- -any teas made from elderberry, peppermint or
ginger have antiviral properties
- - curcumin is a potent anti-inflammatory
- - echinacea is a widely studied and proven herb to
combat infections
- -elderberry syrup reduced the severity of flu
symptoms and shortened their duration by about four days in a recent study.
Elderberry also induces sweating and relieves lung congestion.
Another trick to beating a cold is by using hydrogen
peroxide. You don’t eat it, obviously. But you can gargle with it to relieve
sore throats. Some people use salt water which also helps, but add some
peroxide to the salt water for an extra boost.
The other way to use peroxide is to put it in your ears.
Simply fill up the ear canal while lying on your side, wait for it to stop
bubbling, then drain it out by lying on that side on a paper towel. Do both
ears. Always finish by placing one or two drops of rubbing alcohol in each ear.
This helps remove any remaining water in the ear, which can promote infection.
Forget the medicines, vaccines and expensive drug store
options. There are plenty of natural remedies that work better and have none of
the drugs’ side effects.