Originally posted by LarryMullen's_POPAngel:
Anyway, I went out at lunchtime and got all those vitamins and the Zicam, wish me luck for a speedy recovery!!!
Time for the geeky scientist to talk...
Be a bit careful about any nasal sprays, Zicam included, as they can become addictive. Not because you are drawn to them like nicotine, but because your sinuses close down without the drug. However, during a cold situation, nasal sprays can be very helpful. If taken at the very onset of a cold, Zicam may help reduce the duration of the illness. However, since you already have a cold for a while, I would recommend limited use of Zicam. Try it a few times and if it helps, continue using it, but please stop using it after a few days.
Vitamins are great, although I have my doubts about zinc tablets. DNA binds a lot of zinc and if you have a viral infection, guess what's going to use up some of that zinc? Some studies have shown that zinc does absolutely nothing to help a cold. However, if zinc works for you, go for it. Zinc tablets may also soothe the throat, but this can also be obtained using other lozenges, such as Halls or Sucrets.
As everyone wrote, vitamins are great, but not all vitamins work well in tablet form - also some work best with food (so that they can be absorbed). Vitamin C is water soluble, so it quickly flushes through your system. It's anti-oxidizing effects though are outstanding. I recommend drinking lots of juice (many juices have extra Vit. C) and getting chewable C tablets. As for the other vitamins, take a normal multi-vitamin once a day and that's it. Do NOT overdue your multi-vitamin as this may hurt more than help! Drinking lots of juice or water is also necessary. It keeps you from becoming dehydrated - a common cold symptom - and helps dilute and flush your system. You may need to use the bathroom a lot, but it's worth it.
One thing that people did not mention is to eat protein. Antibodies, the items that help fight your infection, consist of protein. Therefore drink milk and eat peanuts. If you eat meat, poultry and fish are recommended. Being female, you may also want to eat steak to increase your iron content.
Lastly, as many people mentioned, sleep is definitely needed. Your body does a TON of repair work while sleeping. If you can get 10-12 hours of sleep per day the next few days, this will substantially help you fight your cold.
Remember, all any drug does is either relieve symptoms or assist your body. Ultimately, your body's own immune system is what really rids you of your cold. So be gentle to yourself for a while.
