The Cold Virus: A cold can occur at any time of year, although most common in the winter months and rainy seasons. It is highly infectious and is one of the most common contractible viruses in the human race.

Colds are characterised by inflamed mucous membranes of the respiratory system. You may experience sneezing, coughing, a runny nose, headaches and runny eyes.

There are more than 200 different viruses that can cause a cold. Some of the more common ones include rhinovirus, corona virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza (flu) and para-influenza, each one with their own severity.

They are usually left to run their course within 1 to 2 weeks without complications and require little medical attention unless such complications occur.

Complications may include the development of more serious conditions such as bronchitis, pneumonia, ear infections, sinusitis or attacks of asthma in susceptible people.

Once a cold takes hold symptoms like a tickly nose and/or itchy throat usually begin within 2 or 3 days, followed by sneezing and a watery nasal discharge.

From 1 to 3 days discharges become more profuse. It is at this time that you are at your most contagious.

Because there are so many causative viruses there are currently no medicinal cures for the cold. Preventative medication that will strengthen your immune system has therefore proven significantly successful and is generally the recommended route.

Influenza (“The Flu”)

The Flu is a more serious contagious viral disease of the respiratory tract, causing inflammation, sneezing, coughing, a sore throat and fevers.

If you:

• Are 65 years or over
• Have lung, heart, or kidney problems, a blood disorder, or suffer from a metabolic disease
• Have a lowered immunity due to prolonged use of medications, or
• Are pregnant

You are at greater risk of infection and need to protect yourself more precisely.

As for the cold, there are currently no medical cures for flu. Preventative medicine and keeping your immune system in peak conditions are therefore the only significantly successful methods of beating these conditions.

Immunity

The immune system is a network of specialized cells that work to clear infection and to protect your body from the millions of bacteria and viruses you may be exposed to every day.

Foreign organisms are everywhere. They are in our air, our food and our water. They are unavoidable. It is therefore up to your immune system to protect your body from their invasion into your system, causing illness and disease.

‘Innate’ and ‘Acquired’ immunity

Your immunity can be innate or acquired:

Your innate immunity prevents the entry of foreign bodies into your tissues. If they do take hold it is your innate immunity that eliminates them before they have a chance to cause disease.

Your acquired immunity only occurs in response to an actual infection as the immune system adapts itself to fight these foreign bodies and rid your body of potential disease.

To understand how this really works try thinking about what happens to the human body after it dies. Once the body dies the immune system completely shuts down. Bacteria and parasites then quickly invade the body. With no immune system to fight it, the bacteria and parasites soon ‘eat up’ every tissue until only the skeleton remains. Whilst you are alive your working immune system stops this from happening.

Immune system biology

Immune cells are produced in your bone marrow, the most relevant cells of which are called the lymphocytes.

You have B cell lymphocytes (in your bone marrow). These produce antibodies and attach to any foreign bodies in your system ready for their destruction. T cell lymphocytes (in your thymus) then attack and destroy any diseased cells and foreign bodies until your infection is clear.

Immune system disorders

Immunodeficiency is where your immune system is not working correctly and is significantly reduced in its ability to fight infection and disease.

At the other extreme, an overactive immune system is where your immune system malfunctions in a different way and fails to distinguish between your body’s own cells and the invading foreign bodies. Not being able to make this distinction, your immune system begins to attack your own body, destroying healthy tissue and causing further debilitation.

Immune system disorders can be caused by prolonged poor eating habits, an insufficient nutritional balance, alcohol or drug abuse and exposure to environmental toxins. They can also come from the inheritance of a faulty or mutated gene.

Colds, flu and your immune system

Due to their commonality and the sheer number of causative viruses, especially with regard to different strains of cold, your immune system cannot possibly cope with them alone. It needs support. The only way to do this is to take responsibility for disease prevention yourself and help your immune system reach and maintain peak performance.

A healthy body results in an effective immune support system, and vice versa!

The poor level of immunity that is so commonly seen in many societies today is due mostly to poor dietary habits, excessive uses of antibiotics, environmental factors and natural internal nutritional imbalances. Unfortunately most people are unaware of how heavily influenced their bodies are by internal nutritional requirements.

To ensure your immune system gains the strength it needs to keep your body healthy and functioning optimally, you need to obtain all the nutrients you need to sustain good chemical, nutritional and hormonal balance, giving your natural defenses a sound ‘helping hand’.

If you are at particular risk of catching a viral condition, such as if you work in a hospital, live with infected people, travel a lot and visit countries where you may come into contact with viruses, you should consider giving your immune system a regular ‘lift’ for that added insurance.

• An average adult gets 2 or 3 colds per year (quite avoidable).
• Children average 3 to 8 colds per year (a strain on their maturing immune system).
• 84% of colds in the US occur in the under 17s and appear to be related to their inadequate immune systems. (NCHS)

• In 2003 more than 200,000 people were hospitalized from flu complications. Of this number resulting deaths reached approx. 36,000.
• In 2004/2005 around 45,000 people died from influenza or related complications. Elderly patients formed around 20,000 of these deaths.
• The most common cold is the rhinovirus, which causes about 35% of all colds.
• During the last 100 years:
• The Spanish flu of 1918-19 caused 20 million deaths.
• The Asian flu of 1957-58 resulted in 500,000 deaths in the US.
• The Hong Kong flu of 1968-69 caused 34,000 deaths in the US.

A cold is caught by inhaling the virus from someone sneezing close by, or by touching your nose, eyes or mouth after you have touched something contaminated with the virus.

The flu is caught when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks and sends minute flu viruses into the air for other people to breathe in.

The chill theory and the viral theory

Experts denote 2 further theories as to how the cold and flu viruses spread.

The chill theory tells us that there is a higher incidence of colds and flu in the winter, therefore infection is down to the cold weather.

The viral theory is contrary to this in that it says colds are caught more frequently in winter because people spend more time indoors with other people and with heating on high, providing an easy and vibrant environment in which foreign organisms can breed and spread.

Ultimately, if our immune system is at its strongest and performing at its best possible level, it would be able to fight such occurrences, no matter what the origins.

Most people recognise the signs of a cold or flu themselves and only feel the need to visit a healthcare practitioner if they become concerned about any complications developing from this common infection.

However, it is possible for your healthcare practitioner to diagnose the virus from a simple physical examination, chest x-ray (for complications of bronchitis or pneumonia), blood count or culture and from swabs taken from the nose and/or throat.

Symptoms of a cold or of flu can be extremely similar. However, flu does produce more serious and debilitating effects.

Often you can continue your usual daily routines even with a cold, whereas with the flu your body requires more rest and may have difficulty performing usual tasks.

Symptoms include any/all of the following:

Exercise, rest, a balanced diet and building your body’s resistance back up are the only ways to really help replenish your immune system and enable it to eliminate the virus in its own way. 

The importance of prevention therefore cannot be overstated.

In the UK & US more money is spent on over-the-counter medications for coughs and colds than any other ailment. While some of these treatments may relieve symptoms associated with colds and coughs, none will effect a cure or shorten its duration and all interfere with your body’s own efforts to cure. Many medications are also associated with dangerous side effects...

Common suggested medications include:

• Painkillers, e.g. Paracetamol
• Decongestant sprays
• Oral decongestants (tablets or syrup)
• Expectorants
• Antihistamines.

Antiviral medications
Amantadine
Rimantadine

Active against influenza A, Amantadine and Rimantadine have been known to cause side effects such as insomnia and anxiety, nausea and loss of appetite. In severe cases side effects such as seizures have been reported. Use of Amantadine (and Rimantadine) has been associated with central nervous system side effects including nervousness, anxiety, insomnia and light-headedness.

Tamiflu

Tamiflu (Oseltamivir Phosphate) is approved to treat type A and B influenza. It is an oral antiviral drug for the treatment of uncomplicated flu. Its use in people with chronic heart or lung diseases, kidney disease or other underlying high-risk conditions should be with extreme caution.

Side effects can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bronchitis, stomach pain, dizziness and headaches.

Tamiflu has also been in the public eye concerning its potential effectiveness against bird flu. Stockpiles continue in the event of a pandemic, although its effectiveness on has not been fully confirmed.

Oseltamivir
Zanamivir

Active against influenza A and B. Oseltamivir is often prescribed for children.

These drugs inhibit the activity of the influenza virus M2 protein, which forms a channel in the virus membrane. As a result the virus cannot replicate after it enters a cell.

Zanamivir and Oseltamivir are called neuraminidase inhibitors. They work by blocking this enzyme's activity, preventing new virus particles from being released thereby stemming the spread of infection.

Each of these medicines has side effects that can include nausea and vomiting, wheezing or breathing problems, headache and diarrhea.

If you tend to get colds and/or flu often it may be a sign that your immune system is not working properly. Maintaining your immune system is your best protection and solution against viruses, especially if you come into contact with such infections often, or feel you may at any given time.

Natural science has quite recently discovered the beneficial immune-enhancing properties of various natural ingredients. You can now utilize nutritional supplementation to improve your immune response by taking natural and non-toxic supplements throughout the year, and by boosting your immunity at further regular intervals, or at specific times of desired added protection, with specialized ‘top-up’ ingredients.

Although all of these ingredients have benefits on their own, your essential key to achieving maximum effect is through a combination of the right amounts of these extracts, blending them in a controlled environment. The resulting formula is going to be much more potent than their individual effects.

If you wish to maximize the ability of your immune system to protect you against many viruses and cancers, Xtend-Life Total Balance plus Omega 3/DHA Fish Oil Esters are arguably the most effective forms of protection that you can get for your family.

In addition to this Xtend-Life Viral-Protec provides that added ‘boost’ needed at times of lower resistance or increased risk of infection.

These formulas are recommended in our natural protocols.

Click on the link below to have a look at our recommended protocols for this health condition.

Protocol 1 – Maintenance

Xtend-Life Total Balance combined with our Omega 3/DHA Fish Oil Esters are recommended for overall increased health, building up your immunity against colds, the flu and other viruses.

Protocol 2 - 'At Risk' Categories

Xtend-Life Viral-Protec is recommended as an additional ‘top-up’ protection to Protocol 1 above, for maximum effectiveness and an added immune system boost. Should you feel at high risk of exposure to colds, the flu, or other viruses at any particular given time Xtend-Life Viral Protec, taken for a few months in advance, or at regular intervals during the year, will help to give your immunity the ‘edge’ it needs:

Protocol 3 - Immunity Protection

Xtend-Life Viral-Protec is also recommended in a ‘stand-alone’ version of a higher dosage should you not be taking Xtend-Life Total Balance and Omega 3/DHA, but still wish to build up your immunity. This product can also be combined with Omega 3/DHA:

NB: Please note that we develop our formulas in a way that minimizes possibilities of interaction. However, as with all natural supplements there is still potential for ingredients to interact with prescription drugs. You are advised to either check with your physician or Contact Us with details of your medicines so that we can check our databases for potential problems. Please also check our legal notices found in About Us.