If you managed to avoid catching a cold last year, well done! Although most people have every intention of keeping viruses at bay, many slip up at some point, and soon find themselves sniffing and coughing.
When it comes to avoiding winter ills, it’s the “little things” that count—like washing your hands often—along with a healthy immune system that takes over preventive duties if you accidentally slip up.
Echinacea and Ginseng
Both echinacea and ginseng are plants that possess potent anti-viral properties. Since plants are popular objects of attack by various pathogens, including viruses, they contain a number of substances that build immunity. These include anti-virals and antioxidants. When ingested by humans, these protective qualities are passed on, helping boost our own immune systems.
Echinacea
You may have heard of a study or two that dismissed echinacea as being ineffective in treating winter ills. The key word here is “treating.” Most of the studies gave echinacea to the participants at the start of a deliberately induced cold, or one week prior to innoculation with cold germs. Other studies, where the participants had consistently been taking plant-derived immune boosters prior to and during the winter months, have suggested that echinacea can play a positive role in preventing colds and flu, particularly when utilized in conjunction with other preventive measures such as frequent washing of hands.
The earlier you start to build immunity against winter illnesses, the better...
When taking an immune-building supplement, it’s important to begin well in advance of the cold and flu season. This provides the immune system with the opportunity to increase its resilience.
Echinacosides, the active ingredient in echinacea formulations, stimulate the immune system to produce a number of infectionfighting elements that help prevent both bacterial and viral attacks. When purchasing an echinacea formulation, be sure that the echinacea is standardized to ensure consistency of strength. London Naturals echinacea super-strength softgels and doublestrength cold formula are both standardized to maximize potency.
Ginseng
Ginseng has long been used as a traditional medicine to remedy a number of ailments. Anti-viral elements (ginsenosides) derived from ginseng are the primary active ingredient in COLD-fX ® formulations.
Like echinacea, ginseng works most effectively as a preventive agent, although many people successfully use COLD-fX ® at the first sign of a cold. In October, COLD-fX ® will introduce orangeflavoured extra strength liquid with soothing menthol. This formulation contains no added sugar, alcohol or artificial colouring.
All COLD-fX ® products are standardized to provide consistency of dosage, are non-drowsy and may be used by adults and children of 12 years of age and older. People who are taking anticoagulants such as warfarin, those with impaired liver or kidney function, women who are pregnant or breast feeding, and people with allergies to ginseng should avoid this product.