Effective Natural Remedies to Prevent the Common Cold and Boost Immunity

The cold, rainy season has finally entered the chat and along with its heartwarming breeze comes the high number of people getting affected with coughs and colds (some even skipping work because of fatigue and fever). On average, adults experience 2-4 colds in a year, mostly occurring during the colder months.₁ Given that most celebrations occur during this time of year, we could expose ourselves or others to different viruses that can activate our immune response and cause our bodies to suffer from increased stress in order to fight off the harmful pathogen. For our symptoms to not get in the way of celebrations (and scrumptious food), it is important that we understand how we could get infected, infect other people, and prevent the infection from happening in the first place!
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Understanding the Common Cold

Common colds occur when a virus enters your body and triggers an immune reaction to the lining of your nose and throat, causing you to develop sore throat, sneezing, hoarseness, cough, a stuffy nose, and sometimes muscle and joint pain, fever, and headache.₁ The tricky part is that the common cold is actually caused by a wide variety of viruses with over a hundred strains, making it difficult to actually become immune to the infection for life. Simply put, recovering from a cold does not mean you cannot catch another one and your immune system needs all the help it can get to learn to fight off each new virus!1 Not to worry! Your immune system is fully capable and equipped to fight off the infection and prevent it from causing damage to your body.
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The Common Cold vs The Flu

The common cold and flu are two entirely different health problems caused by different sets of viruses. Unlike the common cold, the flu is a specific viral infection in that it is generally caused by the influenza virus with fewer viral strains (lesser chance to get re-infected).₁​ Vaccines for the flu are also available and can be injected yearly by your healthcare provider.
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Allopathic Treatments

Generally, allopathic strategies for the common cold focus on treating individual symptoms through taking NSAIDs (ibuprofen or mefenamic acid) for fever and sore throat, antihistamines to minimize sneezing and stuffy nose, cough medications, and decongestants to reduce clogging and stuffy feeling in your nose.₂

Are antibiotics helpful to manage the common cold?

The answer is NO. Antibiotics are not effective to help fight off viruses since these target harmful bacteria and the structures that allow them to thrive within the body.₁​ The unnecessary use of antibiotics may contribute to the global health problem of antibiotic resistance, as well as increase your risk of developing side effects that may cause unnecessary harm to your body. The only exception to the rule happens when complications develop, and secondary infections thrive because of the body’s weak and ineffective immune response.

The Power of Prevention

Although your body has wonderful abilities to fight off the viruses that cause the common cold and fully recover without any extensive help, it can take a few weeks for your symptoms to go away (which may cause discomfort and inconvenience in social settings). The best solution to fight the common cold is by preventing it from happening in the first place. It can be as easy as switching your favorite fish oil supplements to cod liver oil which helps improve your vitamin A and D levels, helping your body respond efficiently and effectively against infections. Vitamins A and D are the best of their kind in modulating your immune response. Particularly, vitamin A exert its immune-strengthening effects by enhancing the efficacy of dendritic cells, which play key roles in initiating and regulating the immune response.₃ On the other hand, vitamin D (most importantly vitamin D3) works wonders in modulating your immune system by improving its ability to destroy (phagocytosis) and clean harmful pathogens out of your body.₃ To support healthy vitamin D levels, supplementation may also be essential, especially when you live in a colder and less sunlit environment during the winter months. 
Vitamin C, fire cider, and switchel are other effective options in keeping your body protected and healthy. Keeping a sickness kit ready just in time for the colder season ensures you can have easy access to essential medications and supplements for preventing and managing the common cold. Your naturopathic doctors will help you build your own sickness kit and guide you in exploring the best holistic treatments and remedies for your optimal well-being.

​The Naturopathic Approach

Apart from preventing the development of infection by strengthening your immune system, regaining its balance when you have gotten the common cold is equally essential. Since the disease typically resolves on its own, making conscious decisions about your health can help your body fully recover and reestablish the lost balance. Not to worry! Managing the common cold can be done at the comfort of your own home. Drinking fresh-pressed juices with vegetables that are beneficial for your health, eating food rich in vitamins, as well as those containing lemon, ginger, and turmeric have added immune-regulating effects. Naturopathic doctors are committed to guide you in making conscious and empowered decisions for your health, from prevention to cure. To learn more about the naturopathic approach for the common cold, talk to your naturopathic medicine advisor today!
 
 

 
REFERENCES:
1.        InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006-. Overview: Common colds. [Updated 2023 Dec 11]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279543/
2.        Mammari N, Albert Q, Devocelle M, et al. Natural Products for the Prevention and Treatment of Common Cold and Viral Respiratory Infections. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2023;16(5):662. Published 2023 Apr 28. doi:10.3390/ph16050662
3.        Džopalić T, Božić-Nedeljković B, Jurišić V. The role of vitamin A and vitamin D in modulation of the immune response with a focus on innate lymphoid cells. Cent Eur J Immunol. 2021;46(2):264-269. doi:10.5114/ceji.2021.103540