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Common Cold/Sore Throat Natural Home Remedy
By Dr. Jonathan V. Wright
Causes of acute sore throat can be viral or bacterial. If your sore throat gets worse no matter what you do, it's probably bacterial and may require a trip to the doctor for an antibiotic. Also, please remember that we're all different in our individual biochemistry's and that factors of age, sex and allergic susceptibility may make the suggestions that follow inappropriate for you. Please check with a practitioner knowledgeable and skilled in nutritional and other natural therapies.
People I work with tell me their viral sore throats go away much more rapidly when they use vitamin C, zinc and vitamin A. I usually recommend they avoid all refined sugar, especially when "catching an infection", since sugar interferes with the ability of white cells to engulf and neutralize germs. To help prevent a bacterial sore throat from "taking over" from viral sore threat, it's useful to use the herbs "goldenscar' and "echinacea7' [ek-in-a-she-uh].
Making use of homeopathic remedies can be very useful also.
All of these items should be started at the earliest sign of a viral sore throat. If your sore throat starts to go and then fades away within a few days, treatment should be slowly tapered off. If it continues to get worse, see a doctor as antibiotics may be necessary.
If you're an adult or "older" teenager and just starting a viral sore throat, begin vitamin C every hour to two hours, 1000 to 2000 milligrams at a time. Yes, this might amount to a total of between 8 and 30 grams in a 16-hour waking day! If these quantities cause excess gas or loose bowels, use less.
For adults, I usually recommend vitamin A 100,000 units twice daily, but for no more than 5 days. Beta- carotene won't have the same effect.
Fifteen milligram chewable zinc lozenges found in nearly all health food stores are quite helpful. They should be used four to six times daily in a very particular way: Chew one up and then gargle it with as little water as possible for two or three minutes by the clock.
For children, quantities of vitamin A should be substantially less and given only according to the advice of a physician knowledgeable and skilled in nutritional and other natural therapies. Quantities of zinc and vitamin C should be lessened for children also.
Goldenseal and echinacia are herbal remedies available in all health food stores. If used from the beginning of a sore throat, they often prevent bacterial complications. For adults with viral sore throats, two capsules of each three or four times daily, are usually what I recommend.
Many of us have found that homeopathic "first aid" remedies are extremely useful in helping put a quick end to viral illness. Homeopathic "first aid kits" with complete instructions for use are available in nearly all health food stores. I recommend that anyone interested in homeopathic remedies obtain such a kit well m advance of need. As an added bonus, homeopathic remedies are inexpensive.
"Mainstream" medical treatment for sore throat includes lots of fluids, rest, aspirin and sometimes antibiotics.
Because of differences in age, sex, metabolism, or potential allergy, these diet and supplement therapies may not be suitable for you. Consult a health care professional skilled in nutritional and natural therapies. To locate one near you, you might call the American College of Advancement in Medicine at 800-532-3688 or the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians at 206-323-7610.
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