Tips for prevention, treatment and knowing when to seek medical care
By D.J. Thatcher, RN, NRP
As temperatures drop, respiratory viruses make their annual visit.
Cold and flu season runs from October through April, according to The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), peaking from December through February.
The common cold and flu are both contagious respiratory illnesses caused by viruses. A cold is a mild upper respiratory infection usually from rhino viruses. Colds develop gradually and present with a runny nose, sore throat, sneezing and other symptoms. The flu, or influenza, is a more severe systemic illness that often hits suddenly and is most notably accompanied by high fever, body aches, chills, vomiting and extreme fatigue.
Basic Prevention
Most of us are accustomed to standard recommendations for preventing these illnesses, including frequent handwashing, staying away from others when sick, covering our mouth and nose while sneezing or coughing and cleaning surfaces such as cell phones, doorknobs and other common areas.
The AAFP recommends an annual flu vaccination for everyone six months or older to help prevent the flu. Children often get sicker with high fever and complications like croup. And although all adults should also get vaccinated, those with chronic illnesses, and the elderly, face the highest risk of hospitalization and death from the flu.
Holistic Options
Another component of prevention is to maximize our metabolic health overall. According to Dr. Todd Joye, MD, of Intervene MD in Mount Pleasant, “You don’t build a healthy immune system in October. It is something that should be part of our routine year-round.”
He suggests eating healthy antioxidant-rich foods, including maintaining a stable blood sugar, which supports immune cell function and reduces chronic inflammation. In his own metabolic health transformation, Dr. Joye said he focuses on increasing the level of protein and fiber and choosing diverse whole foods.
“Alcohol use can increase our inflammatory response and can be a negative in our overall health. Poor metabolic health impairs white blood cells, which are the cells that fight infection, and creates many other problems as well,” he said.
Dr. Joye provides some other recommendations for preventing the cold and flu: “Vitamin C is one of our friends, but sometimes our body cannot absorb a lot of it due to G.I. upset. The standard recommended dose of up to 100 milligrams is generally not high enough to have a significant effect on treating colds and flu. Many people benefit from higher doses such as 10,000 mg, 25,000 mg or more.”
He adds, “another important supplement is vitamin D (combined with K2), which is crucial for immune function, helping our body to produce antimicrobial peptides, and regulate inflammation. Again, there can be a benefit from taking higher doses than recommended but check with your health provider.”
The Whole Body
Dr. Joye stated that our gut health is crucial in fighting off the cold and flu.
“The lining of the intestines has a cheesecloth-like barrier that allows nutrients to get through. Behind that barrier is the microbiome, a major source of immune tissue. Supplementing with a substance called colostrum can help heal the gut and improve our G.I. efficiency and immune response,” Dr. Joye stated. He also encourages people to limit stress, since stress makes us more susceptible to illnesses.
“I also cannot emphasize enough how understated sleep is to our health. It’s more than just letting our body rest, it is really the time when our immunities are built and our body repairs itself,” Dr. Joye said.
The InterveneMD practice specializes in the administration of peptides and other substances that fight viral infections, among many other benefits.
“Metabolic health is really the main preventative measures for the cold and flu,” Dr. Joye said.
Some other treatment hacks, recommended by the AAFP on their website familydoctor.org as well, include taking zinc lozenges within 24 hours of symptom development to shorten the cold by a day or two and taking honey, as many people find it better than many over-the-counter cough syrups.
For the most part, cold and flu illnesses are something we just need to wait out by resting and treating the symptoms. But if symptoms last more than 10 days, if you have a high fever over 103°, develop vomiting, or if difficulty breathing or other major problems occur, seek care immediately.
Best wishes for a healthy cold and flu season!
