What works best for colds and other bugs

[777john]

Last year i had 4 bugs within about 5 months which was very strange because i usually have no more than 2 a year, the first 3 i got through them ok but the last one was bad my legs went to jelly my ears blocked up with flem which made my T very loud for about 3 weeks and i just felt shocking, none of them were covid. I can not take flu tablets because they increase my T levels , im ok with paracetamols, and they reduce fever, but not too good for colds, so then i discovered echincea which i have heard is very good for colds and flues, the trouble is there is so many different ones to take , Holland and Barrett alone have about a dozen different ones. Can any one give me any advise on which ones to take and when to take them, or even if they work.😁

[Happyrosie]

personally I, and my husband, use echinacea as soon as I get the slightest hint of a possible cold. I’d say that this works seventy percent of the time.

I buy them, through the post, from a company in Guernsey which has been well established for many years, I don’t think we are allowed to advertise here! From them I also get glucosamine with chondroitin for painful joints, vitamin D for use during winter, magnesium which my husband has for painful joints and omega oils.

[777john in reply to Happyrosie]

Thanks Rosie that's good to hear, how long do you take them echinacea for.

[Happyrosie in reply to 777john]

Until the symptoms disappear. I find the symptoms fade away then come back, I zap them with E and usually that’s it. Say three days??? PT has made the very valid suggestion that I pm you, which I am about to do

[Philip6 in reply to Happyrosie]

I get my Echinacea from them too, and a few other things, they are very good. Like you, as soon as I feel a cold coming on I start taking echinacea and more often than not the next day I’m fine. Although at the moment I have a stinking cold. So they don’t always work, but I can’t remember the last time I had a cold, it would be 5 years ago at least.

[TinnitusUKPat Partner]

I would agree with Rosie that advertising is a very bad thing and we shouldn't do it. Equally though, isn't it marvellous that HealthUnlocked has a private message system where information like companies in Guernsey who make echinacea can be shared? 😉

[Happyrosie in reply to TinnitusUKPat]

Pat, I hadn’t thought of that! Ta,

[giggy63]

A vogel echinacea drops in water. Brilliant...

[777john in reply to giggy63]

thanks giggy

[Philip6 in reply to giggy63]

Sainsbury’s were selling that off the other day for 50p a bottle, I got the last two bottles.

[bridgeit]

Hi John, just a quick post to say that it might be worth upping your vitamin D levels if they're a bit low. The GP can check your key vitamin levels with a simple blood test. It's worth asking for a vitamin/mineral level check if you haven't already had this test. I had an immune issue and low vitamin D hence the supplement.

I use emulsified drops as they're best for those of us no longer possessing a gall bladder, as vitamins A, D, E and K need fat/oil to metabolize them. Without a gall bladder, it's a struggle to absorb vitamin D from food alone and worse still if you need to cover up when outside in sunshine.

I use Biocare's Nutrisorb D3 and put 3 drops in my breakfast every couple of days. I found it helped boost my immunity. Leastwise, I think it did! It certainly brought my vitamin D levels back up to par and I'm not affected badly by so many bugs now. I assume the two are connected, rather than know this to be the case.

I think it's also worth looking at B complex levels. At least make friends with Marmite! Brilliant on toast with baked beans, scrambled egg or peanut butter. Sprinkle various foods with seeds/grains to pick up the oft forgotten amino acids and trace elements too.

That's got me thinking about breakfast. Now I'm heading for the kitchen!

[777john in reply to bridgeit]

some interesting stuff there bridgeit thank you

[Philip6]

I endorse what Happyrosie wrote. I’ve used Echinacea for years.

[marigold60]

I used to use echinacea until for some reason it stopped working for me. I now take high strength vitamin d everyday plus vitamin b and a couple of other supplements and fingers crossed I haven't had any type of virus for over a year

[Happyhammy]

Hi there I take a Vogel plantago drops, they've really helped clear my blocked ears x