Colds and Flu
Despite all the advances in modern medicine there is still no cure for the common cold. As the days get cooler many people will suffer from a cold or the flu this winter. There are lots of remedies that people rely on to combat the common cold and Rosemary Stanton looks at how effective each remedy is.
Echinacea
Echinacea is a herb that many people use in the prevention or treatment of colds. It is made from either the flower or the root of one of the two species of the purple coneflower(Echinacea angustifolia or Echinacea purpurea) but the root has more of the active principal. Echinacea angustifolia has the highest concentration of active echinacea but Echinacea purpurea is the most commonly grown. There have been no proper trials conducted to test whether echinacea really works but as long as you don’t take it for more than six to eight weeks it won’t do you any harm. There are a number of echinacea preparations on the market but be careful what you buy because many echinacea preparations don’t contain the dose recommended by the British Herbal Pharmacopoea (the bible for all drugs and medicines) which recommends 1 gram of dry root, three times a day. Even some of the most expensive preparations have the least amount of the active ingredient in them.
Warning: If echinacea is taken for more than six to eight weeks consecutively it may become immunosuppressive. Echinacea preparations should not be injected because they can cause chills, fever, nausea, vomiting and allergies.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C supplements are often used in the fight against colds. They won’t stop you getting a cold but there is some evidence that if you take some at the first sign of a sniffle you’ll reduce the length of your cold from five days to four. However, there’s no point in taking more than 1,000mg of Vitamin C as any more than that just goes out in the urine.
Warning: An excess of Vitamin C supplements can cause diarrhoea, headaches, stomach aches and possibly kidney stones. Chewable Vitamin C tablets are a disaster for teeth even if they’re sugar free because their acidity eats into the tooth enamel. Look for the buffered type as they are less likely to cause stomach upsets.
Zinc
The British Common Cold Research Unit has spent 40 years looking for a cure for the common cold and has found that zinc may reduce the duration of colds. There are zinc supplement tablets or alternatively it can be found in oysters, fish, red meat, eggs and green vegetables.
Warning: Be careful when taking zinc supplements because too much zinc can interfere with the way the body absorbs iron and calcium.
Citrus fruits
One of the best things to do to reduce your chances of getting colds is to eat more citrus fruit such as lemons, oranges, grapefruits and mandarins. Citrus fruits contain vitamin C as well as other vitamins and some minerals and they are a good source of Bioflavonoids (also known as vitamin P) which prevent vitamin C being destroyed by oxygen.
Chilli, ginger & lemon grass
Chilli is something else which can help if you feel the start of a cold or have a stuffy nose. The capsaicin in chilli shrinks the mucous membranes which makes your nose run and may clear your head. Ginger and lemon grass may help as well. Rosemary recommends a combination of all three in a hot and sour Thai soup as an antidote at the first sign of a cold.
Rosemary Stanton’s Hot and Sour Thai Soup
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1-2 chillies, chopped and seeds removed*
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon grass, finely sliced
- 1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1L chicken stock
- 2 lime leaves, finely sliced
- 300g chicken breast, cut into strips (alternatively use 12-16 peeled, deveined green prawns)
- 1 red capsicum, seeded and finely sliced
- 200g baby spinach (or use any green vegetable)
- 2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 250g silken tofu, cut into cubes (optional)
- coriander leaves as a garnish
* When preparing chillies wear disposable gloves and take care to wash the knife, cutting board and your hands thoroughly when you have finished. Chilli seeds are hot and even a minute amount of chilli left on your fingers can damage your eyes if you rub your eyes with your hands after touching chilli.
Method
Heat the sesame oil in a saucepan and cook chilli, ginger, lemon grass and garlic for a couple of minutes over a gentle heat. Add chicken stock and a couple of sliced lime leaves and bring to the boil. Add chicken breast (or prawns), spinach and capsicum and cook for 2-3 minutes. Just before serving add a sprinkle of fish sauce, some lime juice and tofu as desired. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve immediately.
Serves 2 -4.
Note: Make sure you’ve got some tissues nearby when you eat the soup because it will make your nose run but it might prevent the early cold symptoms from growing into a full blown dose.
Further information
For more of Rosemary Stanton’s advice on food and nutrition consult:
Rosemary Stanton’s Complete Book of Food and Nutrition (Simon & Schuster, revised edition, 1995, rrp $29.95); or
The Good Gut Cookbook by Rosemary Stanton, (HarperCollins Publishers, revised edition, 1998, rrp $19.95).