Often when the symptoms of colds & flu subside, you can be left feeling tired, run down and with no energy. Your immune system has been busy fighting off infection so it needs a little care and maintenance to help you recover. A strong healthy immune system helps reduce the risk of you getting more colds & flu – and improves your energy levels so you feel fit and healthy again.

Faster recovery from colds & flu

Recovery strategies can be used long term, especially if you have a tendency to get a cold or flu every winter or have a compromised immune system.

Colds & flu relief with herbal medicines & nutritional supplements

There are a number of herbal medicines, nutritional supplements and healthy lifestyle choices that can help you bounce back and recover from a cold or flu. Building up and strengthening the immune system helps improves your body’s defence system so you stay well.

Astragalus

Astragalus has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for over 2000 years for its immune enhancing properties, helping to maintain a healthy immune system and boosting energy levels after illness such as colds and flu. Astragalus helps reduce fatigue and increases stamina and endurance.

Olive leaf

Olive leaf is important for immune health and contains broad spectrum antimicrobial activity, effective against viruses and bacteria that are common with colds & flu. Olive leaf can be used at lower maintenance doses to help with recovery and for the remainder of the cold and flu season to support immune health.

Lactoferrin

Lactoferrin is a first line immune defence protein that stops iron being used for viral and bacterial growth and development. Lactoferrin is generally not absorbed in the bloodstream but acts instead on the intestinal immune system providing systemic immune system support and helps boost friendly bacteria in the digestive system.

Zinc

Zinc is an essential trace element that plays an important role in the immune response. It is especially useful for colds & flu recovery. A zinc deficiency results in a compromised immune system, increasing the susceptibility to bacterial, fungal and viral infections. Inadequate zinc intake over a 30 day period can lead to a 30%-80% reduction in immune protection.

Vitamin C

The classic 'colds & flu' remedy! Vitamin C enhances and balances the immune system and low levels of vitamin C have been linked to an increased susceptibility to infection. Vitamin C levels are depleted when you are ill and while the body is under stress.

Vitamin B Complex

B vitamins work very closely together and are involved in energy production and are beneficial in supporting the body during times of physical and mental stress. Sustained release vitamin B complex formulations are designed to gradually release their contents over an eight-hour period for maximum bioavailability.

Colds & Flu recovery with helpful lifestyle choices

• Consume good quality proteins
• Eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables including shitake mushrooms
• Plenty of bed rest and quality sleep
• Drink plenty of water
• Get out into the sun to boost your vitamin D levels
• Gentle exercise
• Keep warm
• Reduce stress levels

Mr Vitamins recommends

Herbs of Gold nutritional supplements for immunity boosting and colds & flu recovery:

1. Colds & Flu Strike
2. Zinc Forte + C Powder
3. B Complete Sustained Release

Research references for colds & flu recovery: Bone, K, 2003, A Clinical Guide to Blending Liquid Herbs, Churchill Livingstone, St Louis, Missouri. Braun, L & Cohen, M, 2010, Herbs & Natural Supplements: an evidence-based guide, Elsevier, Australia. Pizzorno, JE & Murray, MT, 2006, Textbook of Natural Medicine, Churchill Livingstone, St Louis, Missouri. Roxas, M & Jurenka, J, 2007, ‘Colds and influenza: a review of diagnosis and conventional, botanical, and nutritional considerations’, Altern Med Review, vol: 12, issue: 1, pp. 25-48. Tomita, M, Wakabayashi, H, Shin, K, Yamauchi, K, Yaeshima, T & Iwatsuki, K, 2009, ‘Twenty-five years of research on bovine lactoferrin applications’, Biochemie, vol: 91, pp. 52-57. World Health Organisation, 1999, ‘WHO Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants’, World Health Organisation, Geneva, Vol.1.