Natural remedies offer alternative when cold, flu strike

E-mail this story

Print this story

Share

CRYSTAL LAKE – The last time you saw a duck's liver or heart might have been on your holiday plate.

But those brave enough to chow down might not realize the potential health benefits of the organs.

Combine very dilute quantities into tiny white pellets, and Oscillococcinum is the result – a homeopathic-type flu remedy that proponents say can offer a way to minimize misery during these cold, contagious months.

"If you take that right at the beginning of the flu, it almost always goes away," said Dave Childress, manager of Crystal Lake Health Foods, noting that the remedy might help because most influenza cases arise from birds. "Western medicine doesn't really buy into it, but it does exist."

From capsules to lozenges to sprays, hundreds of natural solutions are available to those suffering from the sniffling season.

The following are just a few:


Vitamin C and zinc

These essential elements are perhaps most sought-after during winter, as some health experts say upping the dosage might work well in preventing or controlling colds.

"Where the natural remedies kick in, they're just adjunct really to hand-washing, fluids, rest and taking care of yourself," said Dr. James Wilcox, who is board-certified at Barrington Family Medicine and on staff with Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital.

Wilcox recommends heavier doses of both vitamin C and zinc to combat sickness.

However, Childress – a certified nutritionist who's been in the organic food industry for 30 years – said he's suggested less vitamin C to his customers and more of other naturals such as Indian gooseberry, which have a higher antioxidant capacity.


Flora and fruit

Echinacea, which consists of roots or stems of certain flowers, is more helpful at the first sign of symptoms, Childress said.

Although Wilcox said he doesn't believe that echinacea affects the outcome of a cold, he still tells patients to take it because "it really can't hurt."

He also takes a few doses himself, along with more vitamin C and zinc, when he feels at risk of becoming ill.

"I do that for two or three days until I feel like I've kicked it," Wilcox said. "The one thing I don't recommend is taking echinacea throughout the whole cold season; then it kind of depresses your immune system or makes you sicker. It's not something like a one-a-day vitamin."

Childress said he mostly swears by the fruit-based elderberry extract when he thinks a cold is coming on, as it helps to stop viruses from replicating when they attack the immune system.

The solution's a big seller with customers, as well.

"It just works," Childress said.

However, different batches year to year aren't always consistent, he said.


Mushrooms and yeast

The New Chapter Host Defense brand is a combination of different mushrooms in a popular dietary supplement that helps the immune system communicate better, Childress said.

EpiCor, a relatively new product made of yeast extract, also strengthens the immune system. Childress said he takes capsules daily for prevention, but doesn't advise using it to get over the cold or flu.

As natural medicine becomes more mainstream, Childress said he expects to see even more remedies for customers to try. They might not work for everyone, he said, but he's seen plenty of personal success stories –  including his own.

"We get new customers all the time," he said. "More so, I think people are looking for something that's not a drug. Our approach is just to always give people good information."