Cold Sores, Colds and Flu
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Been out in the cold, wind and rain too long? Chilled? Most of us know that weather-battler who cycles in 2°C and doesn’t give a sneeze about it. Yet some of us just look at the wind and find ourselves laid horizontal spluttering expletives for two weeks. Well, contrary to popular belief, it’s not specifically bad weather that gives us cold sores, colds and flu.
We are under continual attack by bacteria and viruses. It is when we are run down that our bodies become party-central for bugs and viruses, so we need our immune system’s bouncers at the ready for uninvited guests.
Whilst chest and ear infections are bacterial, cold sores, colds and flu are viral. As viral infections are resistant to antibiotics, we need alternative ways to help fight them whilst they run their course in the body.
It is well known that the queen of vitamins is vitamin C. It’s well documented to fight bacteria and viruses, whilst combating free radicals and boosting the immune system. Vitamins A and E, selenium, zinc and beta-carotene (the precursor to vitamin A), are also super-nutrients that strengthen epithelial tissue. Arm yourself with a beta-carotene-rich antioxidant juice by freshly squeezing carrot, rockmelon and watermelon.
A deficiency in vitamin A impairs the immune system. Excellent dietary sources include oily fish, eggs, milk, cheese, liver, dark green, orange and yellow fruit and vegetables. White blood cell-stimulating vitamin E is found in nuts and seeds and sunflower as well as wheatgerm oil. Free radical-scavenging selenium is a powerful antioxidant (highly deficient in Australian soil), and is best sourced from Brazil nuts and sesame seeds. The best thing is, you only need two Brazil nuts per day to obtain your recommended daily intake of this prize mineral. Zinc, also one of the top immune boosters, abounds in crabmeat, oysters, red meat, nuts, potatoes, beans, garlic and wholegrains. Zinc stimulates antibodies and assists in white blood cell circulation to attack viruses.
Cat’s claw is a centuries-old herb used against flu by inhabitants of the Andes. Other immune boosters include echinacea, aloe vera, ginger and garlic.
Cold sores are a symptom of the Herpes Simplex I virus, which surprisingly, most people carry for life, remaining symptom-free. Very cold weather or sunlight can cause cold sores. Though during colds or flu or when we are run down, is the time when these painful blisters are most likely to bite.
The herpes virus relies on the presence of the amino acid, arganine in our cells. But if the cell is inhabited by the more favourable amino acid, lysine, arganine is repressed. A naturopath can prescribe lysine or you can obtain it in supplement form as well as lysine-rich foods such as cheese, turkey, chicken, fish, milk, broccoli, cabbage and (sorry), Brussels sprouts. Avoid arganine-rich foods such as nuts, chocolate and pork if cold sores are your enemy.
You can halt cold sores in their tracks by applying analgesic and antiviral essential oils such as tea-tree, eucalyptus or bergamot in a base of isopropyl alcohol or vodka with a cotton tip. A more powerful (and expensive), essential oil is melissa—standard cold sore treatment by aromatherapy doctors in Germany. When cold sores are on their way out, apply neat lavender oil to promote skin-healing.
A herbalist can also offer you lemon balm ointment containing hypericum and calendula which greatly reduces the symptoms and duration of cold sores. For long-term treatment, the botanical tinctures of St John’s Wort, echinacea and cayenne are recommended.
Common colds are viral infections of the upper respiratory system, and usually produce little more than a sore throat, runny nose, watery eyes and sneezing.
Influenza however is more serious, and the common cold is often mistaken for it. The light-hearted adage: “It’s flu when you can’t get out of bed to grab a $50 note”, does carry some muscle. Flu is characterised by headache, nausea, diarrhoea, muscle aches and pains, overwhelming fatigue and a fever, usually over 37.5°C. Both ailments are self-limiting, but left untreated can lead to secondary infections such as sinusitis, bronchitis and pneumonia.
Provided you don’t have asthma, swap your helmet for a towel and hover over a steam inhalation. Into a bowl of near-boiling water, add three drops of eucalyptus or tea-tree essential oil and decongest. The steam has an anti-inflammatory effect on the mucus membranes of the respiratory system and the oils are antiseptic and antibacterial.
If not feeling too ill, disperse up to six drops of tea-tree and lavender or camomile oils into a warm bath before bed to assist in immune system repair. If bathing in the morning, integrate rosemary oil for stimulation. Rosemary and marjoram together help to reduce muscle aches and pains.
Vaporising clove oil overnight (not to be used on the skin), is an age-old effective treatment during epidemics. Diffuse in an oil burner ( an electric one is safer than candles). For sore throats, combine sliced ginger root with half a squeezed lemon and a tablespoon of honey in hot water.
It has been proven that elderberry extract (sambucus nigra), has antibiotic-like powers. Known to disarm the flu virus (which punctures a cell’s membrane), it disables the chemical that assists penetration. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, described it as his ‘medicine chest’. In 1992 Dr Madeleine Mumcuoglu, a world-renowned virologist at Hadassah Medical Organization in Jerusalem, patented the black elderberry supplement Sambucol®. Within a year, she tested it on a flu epidemic in an Israeli kibbutz with startling results. The double-blind, placebo-controlled study revealed that 90% of flu patients were symptom-free after three days (20% after one day). Patients on the placebo took almost a week to recover. Sambucol® has proved effective in a succession of similar trials since for a wide range of flu viruses, including H5N1.
A post-illness back massage will help to eliminate toxins and assist in lymphatic drainage but don’t have one during your illness as the lymphatic system can spread infection. Reflexology can also cleanse the body post-infection. A reflexologist will stimulate the eyes, ears, sinuses, nose and throat reflexes on the feet, paying particular attention to the lymphatic and eliminative channels to help the body cleanse itself.
A cliché it may be, but the prevention of viruses is always better than a cure.
Swine Flu
At the time of writing, swine flu dominates the headlines, with much confusion about its severity. Should you come down with flu-like symptoms (particularly if you have existing medical conditions), current advice is to visit a GP for testing.
A deficiency in vitamin B6 causes the thymus gland to shrink, lowering the immune system. It works optimally when consumed as part of the B-complex group, so obtain it from a high-quality multivitamin/mineral supplement.
Immune Boosting Tips
Trite as it may sound, keep your alcoholic intake to a minimum. When the immune system has to fight off the toxic by-products of alcohol, it becomes compromised.
Get enough sleep. A tired body is an immune-impaired body. Relax and regenerate after long bike rides, taking a day out to rebuild your immune system’s armoury of weapons if feeling run-down.
Never replace GP-prescribed antiviral treatment with complementary therapies during influenza/infections.
If you are on prescribed medication, always consult your GP before introducing complementary therapies or dietary supplementation.
By Marie Barbieri, Complementary Therapist
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