Have you caught the office lurgy?!
The classical symptoms of fatigue, chills, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, a sore throat, and head and body aches are mostly due to your own immune response, rather than the harmful effects of the virus itself. Over 200 viruses can cause the common cold, and the most common one, the rhinovirus, enters your body via the nose and mouth. Once in your system, viruses will bind to tissues in these areas and inject their genetic material into your cells. The virus is then able to take control, and instruct the host cell to make viral particles using the cell’s own materials. These are then released from the cell to invade or attack other nearby cells. To sound the distress signal, these infected cells release chemical messengers known as cytokines, which activate the inflammatory processes that fight the virus, but also result in your symptoms.
It’s Time to Fight Back!
Andrographis – 
This potent Ayurvedic herb can help reduce the symptoms and duration of the common cold and stimulate certain white blood cells to consume and immobilise pathogens.
Andrographis can significantly improve the symptoms of acute upper respiratory tract infections reducing sick days in both adults and children.
Zinc –
Supplementing with zinc within 24 hours of symptom onset reduced the duration and severity of colds and boosts the production and function of immune cells (called T cells) needed to eliminate pathogens from the body.
Supplementing zinc for a longer time period can also results in reduced infection rates, sickness-related absenteeism from work, and the need for antibiotic prescriptions.
Medicinal Mushrooms (cordyceps, coriolus, reishi and shiitake) –
These mushrooms are able to provide symptomatic relief from the common cold, enhance immune strength and function, inhibit viral entry into host cells, and promote the production of antibodies.
Vitamin C –
Studies have shown it can reduce the symptoms, severity and duration of the common cold, enhance the motility and migration of white blood cells during infection, getting them to where they are needed to fight invaders fast.
Are Antibiotics the Answer?
Many people race to the GP as soon as they are sick looking for antibiotics, but when it comes to viral infections, these are not best soldiers to be calling on. The American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put it best when they advised “since the common cold is caused by viruses, antibiotics will not help it get better”. Antibiotics can indeed save lives, however it must be remembered that they are designed to kill bacteria, not viruses.
What Else Can You Do?
Despite all of the previously mentioned evidence on the efficacy of natural medicines, a seriously smart tactics include: 
- getting ample rest and down time
- consuming plenty of fluids – notably water, warming teas, and homemade chicken and vegetable soups and broths.
- practice good hand hygiene by sneezing or coughing into a tissue (or at worst your elbow!), and washing your hands after blowing your nose or handling used tissues.
- Also, avoid close contact with others during this time – you may need to apologise for not shaking hands, and explain to little ones that you will kiss them good night when you’re feeling better.
When it comes to colds and flus, prevention is better than a cure.
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iridologybrisbane 