I’ve got a cold/flu at the moment and I’m curious what type of remedies people here deploy when they are hit with a cold/flu.
Currently using a steroid/antihistamine nasal spray, decongestant tablet and decongestant spray (won’t use more then 3 days to avoid rebound)
Other than that I’ve stopped all exercise, drinking more water, using sauna a bit more, taking more hot baths with magnesium salt, getting full body sun exposure (covering face, neck, hands and arms with sunscreen)
Am I missing some miraculous thing that can solve this?
There are no miracles, but I’ve noticed something interesting.
When I’m taking rapamycin, I seem to get fewer respiratory infections. Whenever I do catch a cold or feel one coming on, I’ll take about 3–4.5 g of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) per day. I usually start as soon as I notice the first signs of an infection.
Subjectively, it feels like it speeds up recovery or sometimes even stops the infection from fully developing. But this is purely anecdotal and observational could totally be placebo.
NAC was always prescribed to me when I was a kid, so now I just use it on my own and slightly increase the dose.
Makes sense. I hardly ever take paracetamol anyway, but from what I’ve read there’s no solid evidence that NAC reduces its pain or fever relieving effects when both are taken at normal doses.
It seems like this combo is actually prescribed pretty often for mucus heavy respiratory infections.
From GPT:
Paracetamol helps with pain and fever. A small amount of it turns into a harmful byproduct called NAPQI (short for N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine). Under normal dosing, your liver clears NAPQI with glutathione.
NAC boosts glutathione so NAPQI is neutralized faster. This protects the liver but does not interfere with the pain relieving or fever reducing effects of paracetamol. You can safely combine normal paracetamol doses with typical NAC doses used for colds and lung support.
This is what works for me:
at the onset of first symptoms of a cold/flu take 3000mg of L-lysine and 3000mg of VitC 3 times per day for 3-4 days. Usually by the second (most third) day all symptoms are gone. Works 100% of time for me and my family. Got the idea from a doctor in Toronto 10-12 years ago. I think he passed away last year at 102.
I’ve also heard this about zinc. I was even told to just take extra zinc supplements, but I have not personally read up about this.
Another thing I read about was taking quercetin for colds/flus/covid. I don’t have any on hand but am curious about this one.
And, a few months ago a study came out showing that the Astepro nasal spray has antiviral properties and could help prevent covid and other viruses. I don’t know if it ability to keep viruses from replicating offers any benefit once you are infected.
I think this contraindicated when one has viral or even bacterial infections.
You might feel better in the short run, but it could clear the path for a viral or bacterial load to explode.
Vitamin D3:
I take 50,000 IU vitamin D3 if I feel a cold or flu coming.
Originally conceived to mitigate response to allergies, these prebiotic supplements for sinus and nasal health appear to support naturally occurring oral and nasal microbiota that can assist immune system functioning and response to allergens, viruses, and bacteria.
The direct use has one rinsing one’s mouth and gargling with hot water for a period of time to knock down invasive pathogens. One then uses the prebiotic lollipops, which intend to feed the microbiota you want.
Many, many decades ago when I belonged to a local track club, it was common thinking that you could burn off a cold in its early stages by running.
There is some science behind this:
“Both jogging and sprinting raise core body temperature above normal resting levels, often by several degrees, unless heat loss (mainly via sweating and skin blood flow) fully keeps up with production.”
:Why running increases temperature
During running, muscles burn more fuel, and most of that energy is released as heat rather than mechanical work, so total heat production can exceed 1,000 watts in strenuous exercise. This extra heat is partly stored in the body, which raises core temperature by a few degrees until thermoregulatory mechanisms remove it.
Though the effect of this on colds is purely anecdotal.
There is plenty of informal, anecdotal commentary from runners online describing experiences that match the idea of “running off” or “running through” a mild cold, though reports are mixed and far from universal.
"On running forums and Reddit, several runners say that easy runs during a head cold make them feel better, clear their sinuses, or seem to shorten how long they feel “really sick,” "
Yes, with the common cold, it is counterproductive to spend the full week or two weeks or more without exercise. You’re better off maintaining a bit of conditioning instead of turning it into a setback. Moderate exercise will get your circulation and muscle perfusion going, and some pulmonary deeper breathing. Of course if there is a day where you are totally wiped out with a 104 fever and chills, by all means stay grounded. Otherwise, I believe science says: moderate exercise is beneficial with the common cold.
When I used to get sick from the flu/cold I used to be so sick that I could barely go to the kitchen, never mind going outside running LOL. I guess it depends on how bad a cold one catches.
What are the odds that for the past week I stopped supplementing 5k vitamin D3 + K2 and that is when I get this cold?
I’ll restart.
I got vitamin C 1000mg chewable tablets, vitamin C gummies, Fishermans Friend (very spicy lozenges with menthol, liquorice extract, eucalyptus oil and capsicum tincture) Buttermenthol lozenges and some watermelon.
I’m getting my L-Lysine, NAC and Vitamin D3/K2 supplements out as well.
I wouldn’t think it is related. Vit D once it is at a certain level in the blood it takes a while to deplete, one week can’t be enough to make a difference IMO.
I think the best you can do is avoid crowds when infections are peaking, and take whatever vaccines are available. I’ve heard about using anti-virals. There’s nasal sprays to reduce risk of infection as well.
I also use the high dose Vit C + Lysine mentioned above and in other threads intermittently. While good, this hasn’t been as effective at preventing or hastening recovery as Thymosin Alpha 1. The last few sicknesses I’ve encountered, I started doing the TA 1 injection protocol described by Agent Smith in the peptide thread. Additionally, places like Skye peptides have TA 1 + Thymulin at only a slightly higher cost, and this has worked as well and seems to provide an extra boost.
At first onset of sickness, I take 2 mg the first day, followed by 1 mg per day until improving or the vial is finished.
I always seem to get sick whenever I travel to Europe. On the last trip a few months ago, I did a 10 day course of TA1+Thymulin for prevention (1 mg per day, for 10 days before leaving), and took the Vit C + Lysine during the trip and did not get sick at all. I plan to do this going forward, until something else comes along.
could totally be placebo.