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Thread: This cold couldn't have worse timing.

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    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    Default This cold couldn't have worse timing.

    I leave early Sat. morning and as of yesterday came down with a cold. No way I can just lounge around and rest as it's a very busy time preparing for my departure both at work and at home. So, upping the Vit. C, adding in Bs and D as well. What else? Cayenne? Garlic? Zinc? What works best for you?
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    Resident Wildman Wildthang's Avatar
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    When my dad got a cold or flu, he would mix up some cheap whiskey, lemon juice and honey and drink a couple od glasses. Then he would get in bed and cover up with a bunch of quilts and sweat for as long as he could stand it. He always seemed to feel better the next day after he did that.
    I think by raising his body temperature, it kills the viruses much faster, after all, that is what a fever does!

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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    It takes a week to get over a cold if you don't do anything or seven days if you medicate. Good luck.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    It takes a week to get over a cold if you don't do anything or seven days if you medicate. Good luck.
    HAHAHA , thats very true
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    Quote Originally Posted by 1stimestar View Post
    Vit. C, adding in Bs and D as well. What else? Cayenne? Garlic? Zinc?
    Wive's tales... all of 'em, all of 'em a waste of time IMHO... time is the only thing that will rid a cold.

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    EB

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    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    Well the B and D vitamins are to suuport ME while I fight the cold. We are all supposed to take D supplements up here in the winter anyways. I am just not too good at remembering to do it regularly.
    Why do I live in Alaska? Because I can.

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    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    I'm a firm believer in high doses of C (10,000 mg taken throughout the day) when I feel a cold coming on. Seem to work for me - you pee out the excess (that's why I take it throughout the day). Of course - best to check with your doc before trying any advice given.
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    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    Yea I always up my C when feeling one coming on.
    Why do I live in Alaska? Because I can.

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  9. #9

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    Vitamins are great preventatives, but once the virus hits you all you can really do is treat your symptoms with cold medicines
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    Senior Member WolfVanZandt's Avatar
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    In the old days, everyone knew the way to treat colds (from Bayer aspirin commercials and Dr. Kildare, of course) - Take aspirin, drink plenty of fluids, get rest, and call me (the doctor) in the morning.

    I'm not so sure what good the last one would do, but they have to make a living, too. Fact is, a cold is caused by a virus and antibiotics won't do a bit of good so, one way of the other, you'll have to let it run it's course. I'm a believer in the rest because they work for me - they work extremely well for me.

    One of the biggest problem with colds isn't the cold itself but the inflammations (such as bronchitis) that it triggers off. The aspirin (or other anti-inflammatory agent - ibuprofen, naproxen, etc.) cuts the inflammations, but you have to take them regularly until the cycle of inflammation is broken. Exertion inhibits the immune response and makes it harder to fight off infections. When I was exercising regularly, I learned to suspend my more demanding exercises when there as some kind of epidemic going around, otherwise, I would most certainly catch it.

    I add to the traditional treatment prophylactic vitamins (if you prevent a cold, you don't have to worry about treating it), and huge amounts of protein. Unlike most people, when I'm sick I get ravenously hungry and start shoveling protein rich foods. It works for me and I figure that, since viruses injure the body, the body will need plenty of material to rebuild.

    There's a virus going around down here lately and one characteristic is that it almost always triggers of bronchitis. The weird thing is that this cough responds almost completely to Ricola cough drops. As long as there's a Ricola in my mouth, there's no cough and no tickle in my throat.

    Different things work for different people. It took me years to figure out the right combination for my colds. Until I did, I would catch a cold in the fall and hack until the spring. I got over the cold quickly but it would set up bronchitis in me that would torture me for months. Often, I would have to sleep sitting up to keep the post nasal drip from tormenting me at night. Now, I rarely get a cold and, when I do, I get over it in a couple of days and don't develop the hacking cough. If I stupidly let the cough develop (like I did this time) I know how to keep it at a low level and can get rid of it in a couple of weeks at the most.

    By the way, I did find out that echinacea work well to keep the immune system strong (for me, it did, anyway). Unfortunately, I also found out that I'm allergic to echinacea. If you're allergic to compositaea (daisies, dandilion, etc.), you're probably also allergic to echinacea.
    Last edited by WolfVanZandt; 02-08-2013 at 02:17 AM. Reason: Thought about echinacea and added it.
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  11. #11
    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    I forgot about echinacea. I used to take it when something was going around. The problem is, I don't have time to rest. I'm about to go to my job for the Yukon Quest, so primitive cabins, a bit of physical labor in the cold, very little rest while mushers are in the check point. Bleh, I'm just whining. I rarely get sick so it sucks that it happens at such an inconvenient time.
    Why do I live in Alaska? Because I can.

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    "Building Codes, Alaskans don't need no stinking Building Codes." Sourdough

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  12. #12

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    Ibuprofen with big doses of vitamin C and some tussin syrup (same as Mucinex-DM but you don't need the large glass of water). Oh yeah, eat baked beans with a LOT of black pepper.
    It works for me.
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