When you catch a bad cold some people rush to the doctor for antibiotics and are not happy unless they are prescribed something to take. Colds are caused by viruses and antibiotics are useless against them. Antibiotics taken needlessly may lower your ability to fight the viral infection. Instead why don't you boost your immune system and fight back.
Importance of keeping a healthy Immune System
Various bugs and viruses can attack you when your immune system is weak, the trick is to keep it as strong as possible. The only cure for many illnesses is a healthy immune system so concentrate on keeping yours fighting fit.
Importance of Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamin C has long been recommended for colds, but you don't just need Vit C to keep you healthy. The body needs a variety of vitamins and minerals to enable it to fight off illnesses and stay healthy. These vitamins and minerals are found in various foods especially fresh fruit and fresh vegetables. You should eat these foods raw as much as possible - so the vitamins are still intact.
The trouble is nowadays our food is forced to grow, and grown with
the help of various chemicals like pesticides and fertilisers. This reduces
the amounts of these essential vitamins and minerals in our food - as well
as leaving chemical residues in the food.
So the answer may be to either take supplements or eat organically grown foods.
Organically grown foods may be more expensive than other foods but they are a
natural source of the essential vitamins and minerals you need to keep you healthy.
Buying vitamin supplements from the health store may work out even more expensive than
organic food.
Be careful when cooking foods - try not to destroy all the vitamins by cooking at too high a temperature for too long a time. Cook vegetables in as little water as possible, for as short a time as possible, at as low a temperature as possible. Eat them when they are still crunchy so the important vitamins are still intact. Better still eat them raw!
Warning - always wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly before eating them raw. They may be covered in manure or pesticides!
Granny may say "we did'nt have to take vitamin supplements in my day" - and this was probably true, because the food then was grown much more naturally. Nowadays much of the food we eat may be sadly lacking in vitamins and minerals (as well as taste!)
The following remedies and supplements can be purchased in your local health food store or chemist.
Other remedies which can help
Oil of Evening Primrose capsules can be taken regularly. This oil gives the body the essential building blocks for a healthy immune system. It is reputed to also help with pre-menstrual syndromes.
Garlic, either raw cloves or garlic capsules taken regularly, is believed to help in keeping the blood flowing freely and to help reduce the risk of coronary disease and hardening of the arteries. It can also help the body to fight off infections because Garlic has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and antiseptic properties.
Brewers Yeast tablets can also be taken regularly. They provide the body with many of the B vitamins that it needs to stay healthy. Brewers yeast is a relatively cheap source of these B vitamins.
Has a great reputation for boosting the immune system. It can be taken occasionally, especially during the winter, in order to ward off the dreaded colds and flu's that are rife at that time of year. It is a general immune system booster.
Warning - Be careful when you are taking vitamin and mineral supplements regularly. Do not overdose as this can be dangerous. Check with your doctor and agree a proper dosage to take.
Do you suffer from dandruff? Perhaps tea tree oil shampoo can help. Tea tree oil shampoo is available at your local chemist or health food store. The oil has very strong antiseptic properties which can control the fungus that causes dandruff. It is also reputed to discourage head lice. The oil from the tea tree is also added to other products. Tea tree toothpaste is excellent for keeping gums healthy and tea tree soap is good for keeping skin healthy, and spots and boils at bay.
Black strap molasses is a natural source of iron. It can be especially
beneficial for pregnant woman who may be anaemic during pregnancy or
woman who suffer from heavy periods which may reduce the amount of iron
available to them.
Some iron supplements can cause bad constipation, but Black strap molasses
capsules are iron rich without having this side effect.
Many people are anaemic without knowing it, especially if they don't eat
red meat very often. Vegetarians or vegans should ensure that they
include plenty of iron rich foods in their diet.
If you suffer from mild depression, St John's wort can help to relieve the symptoms. Many research studies have shown that taking this remedy can be very effective. Depression can be very debilitating and it is best to attempt to find the root cause of the depression if possible. Clinical depression needs immediate medical help. If you suffer from very bad depression you should consult a doctor immediately.
The human gut is normally filled with large numbers of beneficial bacteria, which help us to break down our food and keep us healthy. Some types of gut bacteria even make an essential vitamin for us. If you have been taking antibiotics for a period of time, this may have disturbed the balance of these beneficial bacteria in your gut - (antibiotics kill bacteria) - and this could allow more dangerous types of bacteria to take over. In order to help the gut recover quickly after a course of antibiotics, you could try taking Acidophilus capsules. These capsules put back the beneficial bacteria into the gut and help the gut to return to normal. Eating plenty of live yoghurt can also help the beneficial bacteria to return to the gut quickly.
More health tips will be added to this page periodically.
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