Two of the most common over-the-counter supplements for colds are vitamin C and Echinacea. Whether they work is a matter of debate.
If you focus on what I call the "4H" approach, you'll be able to prevent and treat a cold:
- Hand-washing. Conscientiously washing your hands after exposure to anyone with a cold will reduce your chances of being infected.
- Hydrate. Drink plenty of fluids. Your body loses fluid as a result of fever that may accompany an infection. Cold viruses cause your body to produce excess phlegm, and drinking water will help keep that phlegm from thickening and drying out.
- Heat. A fever is nature's way of making your body inhospitable to intruders, so resting in bed and staying warm with blankets can help Mother Nature help you.
- Help. Acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents ease muscle aches and pains as well as sore throats; antihistamines help decrease drainage in nasal passages; mucus-thinning agents reduce the thickening and buildup of phlegm; and decongestants work to keep the sinuses more open.
When it comes to preventing colds, work with your doctor and remember the 4 H's. It will help to improve your odds. For the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, I'm Dr. Tedd Mitchell, and this is the President's Prescription.
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