I just wanted to share an experience I had this week. I got up on Saturday and as I was sitting in front of the television watching the Leon County case, I kept sneezing and my nose was running enough that I had to keep blowing it. After about an hour of this, and not finding any cold medicine in the house and not wanting to leave to go get some, I decided that I would take some vitamins that I had in an effort to get some extra vitamin C. The vitamins I happened to have were the One A Day vitamins for women. They have 100% of just about everything we need. I decided to take two just to double up on the vitamin C. Within an hour, I had stopped sneezing and my nose had stopped running. It stayed that way for about six hours. When I started showing symptoms again, I took two more vitamins. Within the hour, the symptoms had vanished. After about four hours of having the second dose, I went to bed for the evening. In the morning, I woke up with absolutely no more symptoms and they have not recurred. I am not subject to sinus trouble and rarely sneeze unless I accidentally sniff something that irritates my nose which I had not done that day. This is too big a coincidence to have not been affected by the vitamins. This experience has defintely convinced me of the importance of vitamin supplements to help our body fight off problems. I had always sporadically taken vitamins (hence why I had some on hand to take) but this has made a believer out of me. I intend to keep taking them, only in the recommended dosage, to continue to give my body the help it needs. Just thought I would share that with you all.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), December 06, 2000

Answers

If you do some research they say to take x number of vit c when you have the first sytoms of a cold also zinc.I am sure some of the folks here will have the exact amounts and how often .

-- Patty (fodfarms@slic.com), December 06, 2000.

My recipe for cold-fighting, every four hours for as long as symptoms persist: 50mg zinc, two garlic oil caps or equivalent, 500 mg L- Lysine, one Echinacea capsule or dropperful of tincture, and Vitamin C, as much as you as accustomed to taking at once. If you take much more C than you are used to, it can produce diarrhea. For some people that is 500mg, for some it is several grams. Works for all us every time, unless we leave one of them out, or forget to take them. The minute you feel something coming on is when to begin. Some people have great results with colloidal silver, but we havent had this experience; perhaps we do something wrong with it. As you inferred, its of course not a good idea to take multiple vitamins in large amounts; some of the supplements in there can be dangerously toxic in large amounts.

-- Earthmama (earthmama48@yahoo.com), December 06, 2000.

Three years ago, I got high blood pressure. Well, I hate to take pills, but I figured as long as I had to take one every day, why not take two, and added a good multi-vitamin and mineral pill to the daily routine. Since then I have notice that the illnesses that drop everyone else in the office either pass me by completely or have a very small effect that is easily fought off by paying more attention to my sleep schedule (upping the sleep from six to eight hours per night). I am convinced that the regular vitamins are helping my immune system to fight off the invaders.

-- Laura Jensen (lauraj@seedlaw.com), December 06, 2000.

I seem to get sick at the drop of a hat! I believe it was because I took so many antibiotics when I was little. Doctors have gotten so high and I have become fairly resistent to antibiotics, I started checking out alternative medicines(over the counter stuff doesn't really work for me either). Now at the first sign of a cold I take echinacea/golden seal as often as it says on the bottle. I think this helps but the really important thing I do is take powdered rose hips. Rose hips are the most easily utilized form of vitamin C you can take. The way I take it is to fill a coffee cup about a 1/3 of the way with applesause and stir in a heaping tsp of rose hips. I figure the applesauce don't hurt me and it disguises the taste. I try to kind of swallow without tasting. Then for the rest of the day I drink plenty of hot tea (can be most any kind but I use Pau de arco...for over kill I guess) with lots of lemon and honey. I rarely get sick enough to go to the doctor...when I do go it usually isn't just a cold. I had a nasty case of what I believe was food poisoning or something similar a little while ago but other than that I haven't been to the doctor in several years. This is a huge improvement over averaging a trip to the doc once a month!

-- Amanda in Mo (aseley@townsqr.com), December 06, 2000.

If you are taking a multiple vitamin, please do not take more than the recommended amount. You can overdose on some of the vitamins, for instance, Vitamin A. It is a fat soluble vitamin (unlike Vit.C, which is water soluble -- excess will be excreted) and can build up in your body. I've forgotten what damage excess Vit.A will do, but I know it wasn't anything you'd want. You can get tablets, caps, whatever of just vitamin C, without the other vitamins. I OD'd on niacin one time. My face swelled up like a balloon and it felt like I had needles pushing out through my skin -- it was very unpleasant!

-- Joy Froelich (dragnfly@chorus.net), December 06, 2000.

I take a multipule vitamin on a regular basis along with Vit C, Prinrose oil, and others. During the flu or cold season, I'll take extra Vit C and Echancia.

Amanda, Did you ever get checked for candida? I used to get alot of antibiotics and didn't start feeling better until my candida was treated.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), December 06, 2000.

Pau D'Arco is actually a great antidote to candida. Check out Dr. James Duke's research, incl. the book "The Green Pharmacy" or the 2000 PDR to Herbal Medicines (that is: Physician's Desk Reference").

-- Anne (HT@HM.com), December 06, 2000.

During the entire cold season we are on guard with prevention in our house. I diffuse essential oils, make sure we wash our hands well, and take Echinacea purpurea tincture, 2 ml 3-4x day when someone is ill or if we feel a cold coming on. We also avoid all refined sugar since it lowers immunity. HOt ginger, elderflower, or yarrow teas are also good supportive measures, especially when you feel a chill coming on. I work in a nursing home so there are a lot of nasty, antibiotic resistent germs that go around each winter (I'm an occupational therapist). I have a lot of contact with residents and am extra vigilant to wash my hands well and avoid touching my hands to mucous membranes such as nose or eyes. The management offers flu and pneumonia shots every winter, which I refuse. My co-workers can't believe I refuse but I explain that a strong host is key (as I watch them consume junk food and rub their noses and forget to wash their hands!). Amy

-- Amy C. (acook@in4web.com), December 12, 2000.

My daughter had glandular fever a few years ago and whenever she gets tired or stressed her glands come up in her neck and under her arms and she feels really run down. At my suggestion she takes echinacea which she says helps but does anyone know how long you should take it for? I think it should not be taken for too long at one time

-- (jencater11@ netscapeonline.co.uk), May 04, 2001.