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Preventing Late Winter Colds and Flu by Tami Meraglia, M.D.

Many of us have stopped worrying about the swine flu, yet February and March are high season for flu and colds in the Seattle area. As we head into these months, it’s a good idea to take steps to boost your immune system to help it protect against late winter cold and flu viruses.

Complacency is now the Center for Disease Control’s biggest concern with regard to the H1N1 flu virus. It is still considered a significant threat to public health, and CDC experts are unsure at this point whether the swine flu will have run its course by the end of the traditional flu season in April or, as in 2009, it will spread even in summer months. Depending on how the virus progresses, late season vaccination may still be a good idea. Confer with your doctor about whether the vaccine is right for you.

Aside from vaccines, there are measures that have been shown through rigorous scientific review to help prevent colds and flu.

The first step is to make sure that you are not vitamin D deficient. Vitamin D regulates the expression of more than 1,000 genes throughout the body, as well as macrophages, cells in the immune system that attack and destroy pathogens like viruses. Vitamin D also stops macrophages from overreacting to an infection that could potentially damage the infected tissue. In addition, a growing body of medical research is linking the lack of vitamin D to cancers, diabetes and autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Don’t simply start taking lots of vitamin D. Too much can present its own problems. Have your vitamin D level tested. I recommend a level between 60-100, but if your level is 60 in the sunnier months, it might not stay there throughout cold and flu season without supplementation. Individuals who live in locations 35 degrees latitude or higher, such as Seattle, cannot make active vitamin D from October until April, due to the angle of the sun. That means Pacific Northwest residents are likely to be in need of supplemental vitamin D.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends 2,000 IU daily for women and men, but some studies suggest the efficacy of greater doses. My recommendation for adults is to take 5,000-10,000 IU daily during these darker months and to get your levels tested regularly to ensure you are not being under- or over-treated. And don`t forget your children. A recent study showed that 85 percent of American children were deficient in vitamin D.

Second, take Cold-FX (one in the morning and one at night from October until April). Cold-FX is a natural supplement that is FDA approved and has been shown in multiple randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials to be effective in the treatment and prevention of colds and flu. Additionally, a clinical trial conducted on seniors showed it to be complementary to flu vaccine. This is doctor-speak for “this supplement rocks.” The active ingredient, CVT-E002 gives it its immune-boosting properties and is derived from a patented extract from North American ginseng. Ginseng alone is not a substitute for CVT-E002.

Cold-FX activates the immune system to produce antiviral agents. It was selected by the NIH as one of the world’s top 25 significant advances in dietary supplements, and is the only compounded pharmaceutical or natural supplement that studies have shown can prevent the flu and respiratory infections.

Third, give your children probiotics. A study in the August issue of Pediatrics showed that children who were given a two-strain probiotic twice daily for six months had a 72.7 percent lower incidence of fevers than those treated with the placebo. They also had a 62 percent lower incidence of coughing and a 54 percent lower incidence of runny nose. To find the most effective probiotics, look in the refrigerated section of your local natural food store or vitamin shop.

Fourth, if you do get the flu or a cold, take zinc acetate lozenges. A study published last year showed that people taking zinc acetate lozenges got over colds faster (4.0 days vs. 7.1 with placebo), had shorter cough duration (2.1 days vs. 5.0) and shorter periods of nasal discharge (3.0 days vs. 4.5). Make sure it is zinc acetate. This combination ensures that 100 percent of the zinc performs the necessary work.

Finally, you’ve heard it before, but don’t forget to wash your hands frequently, sneeze or cough into the arm portion of your sleeve, stay home if you have a fever, eat nutritionally dense foods and manage your stress. And though there are no studies to back up its healing power, a bowl of chicken soup never hurts!

Tami Meraglia, M.D., is medical director and owner of Vitality Medispa and Wellness Center in Seattle.

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