cough and cold prevention

There is no evidence that Vitamin C prevents colds - the one exception is people who have done a marathon or other extreme exertion.
This despite a lot of research.
May be an effect on the duration of colds but evidence is not clear.
www.cochrane.org/CD000530/ARI_echinacea-for-preventing-and-treating-the-common-cold

There is very little evidence that echinacea prevents colds. It may, slightly, shorten them but it is a weak effect.
www.cochrane.org/CD000530/ARI_echinacea-for-preventing-and-treating-the-common-cold

These conclusions were reached after careful examination of the most well-conducted studies.

Washing hands is the single best prevention - and keeping hands away from face. In one study middle aged women who went on a walk in the fresh air every day got fewer colds.

I agree with granjo39, probably vitamin C but the best preventative in our experience has been Echinacea! I'm telling you third hand so this is maybe a bit suspect but one of my friends daughters works in a research department at Boston University. Another research team along the corridor is dealing with the common cold. After research with a large sample they are coming to the conclusion (not yet published according to my friend) that Echinacea is better than anything in prevention, and a lot better than Vitamin C. We (DH et moi) just take it when we meet anyone with a cold or the grandchildren have colds, but you can take it continuously, it really boosts the immune system. You can buy it from the pharmacist at supermarkets or any pharmacist. Certainly all my friend's family (extensive) and we have found it works. I have dosed up our guests when either of us have a cold and they haven't caught it (may just be a coincidence?) so we believe it is effective! It even strengthens you when you have a cold we think.

You are welcome

Thanks Anya. I did buy some of these pastilles when it was bad over Christmas and yes, they tasted awful but helped at the time. I have looked for them since and am under the impression that they have been ferreted away by that well known thief, my son. I have to strap everything down in this house! I shall buy some more and hide them. Thanks for reminding me.

Hi Yogagran, I take echinacea for two weeks at a time and then have a break. My husband, however, takes it all the time because his epilepsy medication dilutes anything he takes and makes it less effective. We've both been on this regime for quite a few years and have been cold and flu free.

All those lovely snotty kisses eh Mishap?

Dripping here - thank you dear GD!

Have you tried Potters Catarrh pastills? They won't actually get rid of it, but sucking one now and again can help break the cycle a bit and give you a break.

Cheap, but be warned they taste horrid. Work for me after a heavy cold.

Doing food shopping online has helped. I used to get the checkout and the operator would be wiping her nose just as she was about to check me out and then push a snotty tissue back up her sleeve! Don't touch my food! I wanted to scream, but you don't, do you? So online it is, until it's warmer.

I use lemon and honey, fizzing vit C tabs, Vicks vapour rub on chest and soles of feet covered with warm socks, paracetamol and a good rub down with an oily rag.

Now, anyone have any good suggestions on how to get rid of catarrh? I stopped smoking and need to get the gubbings off my chest and then I can feel like conquering the world. Tried all above, now on ventolin but want to feel better again.

I think 'first defence' is a good idea to spray up your nose when amongst lots of people, or if the GC have a cold. Vaseline shoved up your nose is an alternative.

A friend starts to take- vitamin C with a couple of drops of Echinacea in September each year until the following spring and finds that this seems to prevent any serious cold or flu infections.

Do you mean that you take echinacea every day throughout the year Hotmama? I thought it should only be taken when you thought you were getting a cold and only for a few days at a time

Have only just seen this thread so please forgive me if echinacea has already been mentioned. I started taking it ten years ago and haven't had a cold since. When I first met my husband he was getting four to five colds a year. He started taking echinacea on my recommendation and hasn't had a cold for many years. Worth a punt.

Goodness knows yoga - but I have seen coaches of school-uniformed oriental teenagers piling out onto a sunny NSW seafront, half of them obediently wearing masks, like their mothers told them to !

Just been to the post office and the young man having his turn at the desk asked for some stamps and then sneezed. I'm sure the droplets went right on to the counter window. Yuck! I don't think the glass is just to prevent theft!!!!!

Look at my point about gloves Anya* you don't have to look paranoid like you would wearing a mask, but when a person has a compromised immune system they have to take precautions and the same precautions are a simple matter for the rest of us.

That's exactly the point yoga I have a friend who lives in Hong Kong. She wears one travelling to and from work on public transport. We are constantly touching our faces with our hands without even registering we do it and we are touching surfaces that are germ laden all the time.

Her rational is rationale is it can't do any harm and it might prevent cross infection.

I always thought that if you wore one of those masks or a scarf round your mouth and nose the germs had a nice warm moist atmosphere to breed in.

Jess I always thought that those flimsy nose and mouth mask things were to prevent the wearers transferring germs and bugs from their own hands to their mouth and nose

There are some nasty bugs around and it seems to be just down to chance whether you catch one or not.

I babysat for my GD who had tonsilitus and didn't catch it and then babysat for my DS who only had a cold and I caught it. I've had it for two weeks and I think it's going to linger.

Perhaps something like those little hats they put on the end of gold clubs JessM? Very fetching.

Someone needs to invent an effective nose cosy obviously. Might catch on with the folks from the far east that seem to think that wearing a flimsy mask will keep viruses at bay.

I always thought that cold killed bugs that's why I was surprised to read the latest (American) research!

Let's not just look at protecting ourselves, but at reducing the spread of colds and flu by sensible precautions, such as staying at home and avoiding crowded places while we "battle on", keeping away from tinies or the elderly, wearing gloves on public transport or using handrails to reduce the spreading of bacteria. DH has a compromised immune system and although he does not wear gloves normally, always has one in his pocket so that he can use the handrail at steps e.g. at the station.
I think that we all enjoy the benefits of a healthy diet these days so I am less concerned with the necessity for supplements but avoiding bugs is better than trying to beat them and hand washing , for instance before having a coffee is such a simple precaution it is often overlooked.

I used to get bad colds when I was younger then on restricting my consumption of refined sugar and carbs - don't really get colds anymore - the last one just after Christmas stayed in the back of my throat and although feeling slightly off - it didn't develope into a massive head cold followed by a cough as before. My theory the virus has less yeasty/sugar to feed on.

If everyone focused on what they put into their bodies I bet disease would be cut by 2 thirds. (from my own experience.)