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Common Cold/Sore Throat (Holistic)

About This Condition

Coughing. Aching Sneezing. Take a few simple actions to knock out the annoying common cold. According to research or other evidence, the following self-care steps may be helpful.
  • Drink those fluids

    Get plenty of water and other clear fluids to help thin mucus.

  • Take extra vitamin C

    Studies have shown 1 to 4 grams a day may make your cold shorter and less severe.

  • Shorten sick time with echinacea

    At the first signs of a cold, take 3 to 5 ml of this herb as a juice or tincture every two hours to make your cold less severe.

  • Use zinc lozenges

    Use lozenges containing zinc gluconate, zinc gluconate-glycine, or zinc acetate, providing 13 to 25 mg every two hours, to help stop the virus and shorten the illness.

  • Try andrographis or Kan Jang

    Take a standardized extract providing at least 48 mg per day of andrographolides, with or without eleuthero extract (Kan Jang) to reduce the severity of cold symptoms.

  • Be sure to rest

    Give your body some down time to help it fight off the cold.

These recommendations are not comprehensive and are not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or pharmacist. Continue reading for more in-depth, fully referenced information.
  • Keep your hands clean

    Wash your hands frequently to avoid bringing viruses into close contact.

  • Fight stress with vitamin C

    Take at least 500 mg per day if you have a physically demanding lifestyle.

  • Go with garlic

    Take a daily extract containing stabilized allicin for fewer colds and illness days.

  • Take American ginseng

    Use 400 mg per day of a freeze-dried extract to reduce the risk of catching a cold.

These recommendations are not comprehensive and are not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or pharmacist. Continue reading for more in-depth, fully referenced information.

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PeaceHealth endeavors to provide comprehensive health care information, however some topics in this database describe services and procedures not offered by our providers or within our facilities because they do not comply with, nor are they condoned by, the ethics policies of our organization.