This winter I did an experiment. I started supplementing with ginger root capsules. Every day I would take a 550 mg dose. Sometimes 2 a day. People around me were getting sick, yet I seemed immune. Invincible. Was I onto the secret for fighting off the common cold?
Ginger is a powerful anti-microbial food. It makes sense that it would help. And it is so cheap to supplement with.
Then with spring just around the corner, I felt something. Oh no. I got hit with a cold. The symptoms hit me hard too. I was sick for almost a week.
The interesting thing I notice is that when a cold has strong symptoms, the duration tends to be shorter. When the symptoms are weak, it takes much longer to go away. Does that happen with others?
Anyway, I’ll keep taking my ginger root supplement. After all, I bought 3 bottles each with 100 capsules.
Do you have any secret tips for preventing the common cold? It was that very question that kicked off the nutritional direction of this blog over a decade ago. At times I thought I had it figured out, but I don’t. I’m still seeking the answer.
Sean
Mar 14, 2019 — 11:47 am
Sleep (quantity and quality) seems to help me the most
Vitamin C seems to help a bit, albeit could easily be placebo effect
Preventing/avoiding high-stress situations helps a bit
Rebecca
Mar 14, 2019 — 12:00 pm
I supplement with Garlic to prevent and get rid of colds. Eating garlic makes you smell like garlic. So I take garlic extract in capsule form. It works like a charm.
Colin
Mar 15, 2019 — 2:35 am
I was told by a holistic doctor that my vitamin D levels were very low one February about five years ago, based on a blood test. He recommended taking supplementary caps. So, during the winter months, when the sun is too weak at my latitude (54N), (approx mid-Oct through mid-April) I take vitamin D. Not too much, 75mcg/d. Haven’t had the flu since, just the occasional sniffle that lasts 24h at most. In the warmer months, I make sure I get a healthy amount of sun.
As an aside, ginger tea made from fresh root is all the rage here at the moment!
scmelville
Mar 15, 2019 — 2:58 am
Let me add my entirely anecdotal opinion – I haven’t had a cold this year and I have been taking an Allicin capsule daily – I think you can find them by searching for this on Amazon: Allicinmax-SGK-100-Pure-Capsules/
I think I looked them up after Chris Masterjohn mentioned them.
In these confusing Brexit times I also particularly like the Union Jack proudly flying on the packaging. Maybe that is their magic ingredient.
Garlic capsules and the Royal Family – that is all we will have left after Brexit.
Forgive me, I seem to have gone off on a tangent.