How Not to Fight Colds

If your immune system was sufficiently strong, you would never start experiencing the symptoms of the cold because your body would destroy the invading virus during its incubation period -- in other words before the virus duplicated enough to warrant a stronger and more full immune response.

Also, the body's immune response, like all other responses in the body, is performing a constant balancing act. When your body is in balance (homeostasis) the right amount of inflammation occurs to destroy viruses and bacteria, but not so much that you're out of commission. If your body is consistently getting sick and producing high amounts of inflammation (runny nose, itchy eyes, sore throat, etc.), two things are happening:

1. Your initial immune response isn't kicking in fast enough to destroy viruses while they are in their incubation period

2. Your body is out of balance and your immune system's cells aren't able to shut down inflammation when necessary.

Recent research suggests that vitamin D plays a critical role in both "awakening" the immune system's T-cells, or turning them on, and moderating inflammation , or sending the immune system into "sleep" mode when it's done fighting off invaders. [1] [2]

Dr. Carsten Geisler, head of the Department of International Health, Immunology, & Microbiology at the University of Copenhagen said, "When a T cell is exposed to a foreign pathogen, it extends a signaling device of 'antenna' known as a vitamin D receptor, with which it searches for vitamin D," If the level of vitamin D is inadequate, "they won't even begin to mobilize."

Based on this (and other interesting studies) I'd say that the best way to prevent the common cold is to make sure you have enough vitamin D in your body. What to do when you've already got the cold... probably not much you can do except take some zinc lozenges, pound the vitamin C, and try to get rest.

[1] http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=another-r... [2] http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090408140208.ht...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15496046?dopt=Abstract

Note, however, that zinc is only effective if taken at the onset of the very first symptoms. Personally, I've been using it during the last five years, and it seems effective so far.

This isn't at all surprising. Many of these symptoms are part of the body's efforts at fighting the cold. As long as these symptoms increase the body's effectiveness at fighting the virus, I'd view them as a good thing.

Whisky is the cure for the common cold! ;)