First Aid kit for a cold

Usually I go for several years without getting a cold but I know something is amiss as I’ve had two colds in the last six weeks. When my immune system is on top form, it can bat away any cold or flu virus with ease, so I certainly need to strengthen my immune system for the rest of the winter.

In the meantime I’ve implemented my first aid kit for colds. The result? A few days of a gravelly throat and the odd sneeze. That’s it. No headaches, no chest infection, no red nose. No feeling ill, or getting through boxes of tissues or staying in bed. Want to know how?

Vitamin C is your friend

This is because Vitamin C kills viruses. You want to dose sufficiently to derail an impending cold. For many people that will be several grams of vitamin C each day.

Oranges are not enough!

Yes, oranges contain vitamin C but it would take 20 oranges to provide 1000 mg (1 gram) of Vitamin C. To de-rail a cold, you’ll need several grams in a day. You can’t eat enough oranges to combat a cold!
You need to take it as a supplement.

Operating instructions

• You can’t overdose on Vitamin C, when your body has more Vitamin C than it can use, the excess is passed out through urine.
• You know when your body has enough Vitamin C because your bowel movements become loose. This is called dosing to ‘bowel tolerance’.
• Vitamin C can’t be stored in the body, so spread out your supplementation through the day to provide a continuous supply as it’s needed.
N.B. The only time to not use Vitamin C is if you’re taking blood thinning medication e.g. warfarin.

What to do

You will need to supplement

The ‘what’ and ‘how’

Days 1-3
Either Liposomal Vitamin C: This is the most easily absorbed form and therefore quickest way to get it into your body. Take 3-4 sachets each day (1000mg = 1 gram). This is a short term strategy which is very effective. Altrient liposomal Vitamin C Follow the link to source this
Or Powdered Sodium Ascorbate: This is buffered Vitamin C which dissolves in water giving a mildly salty taste. 1 teaspoon is over 5000mg (5 grams) of Vitamin C. Mixing 1 teaspoon in a glass of water and sipping it through the day provides that steady supply. Nutribiotic Sodium Ascorbate Follow the link to source this
Or Vitamin C in capsules as not everyone is keen on the salty taste of powder. Here is a convenient way to supplement at work or while travelling. Take 9-12 capsules a day which will provide 3-4 grams. Metabolics Buffered Vit C 90 capsules Follow the link to source this Use voucher code 174587 for 10% off.
Days 4-7
Either Powdered Sodium Ascorbate Or Vitamin C in capsules. As your symptoms are improving you can halve the dose you were taking earlier, but continue to supplement Vitamin C until at least day 7 to really see that cold completely finished.

Blocked nose?

Steam with eucalyptus oil each morning. Use a couple of drops of eucalyptus essential oil (Tisserand is my favourite) in a steaming mug of hot water and breathe in as much as your nose allows for a few minutes. This is an effective way to clear your nose and sinuses - but won’t help with healing or protection of the delicate lining to the nasal passages. For that you need ION Biome (previously called Restore). If you already have a cold, it helps to heal the mucous linings in the sinuses. Even better, if you use it at the beginning of a cold the spray protects the mucous linings, strengthening your defences against viral intruders. Follow this link to source in the UK Contact Priscilla for a discounted rate on this product in the UK. Follow this link to source in USA

Sore nose?

If you’ve been blowing your nose all day and have a chapped nose, then using some kind of antiseptic cream can be helpful e.g. Savlon or Germolene from the chemist. But what I find works best is Weleda’s Skin Food, it heals the skin and provides a barrier for next time you want to blow your nose.

Always be prepared

I have all these items in my ‘first aid pantry’ at home, ready to use as needed. Now you can stock your first aid kit so you can be cold-proof this winter.

“Time spent in planning is never wasted”