Colds

[LongIslandPiney]

Yeah I caught another cold. I usually get 3-6 a year which is alot. I do take vitamin C, but I still catch them. I think I pick them up when I am in crowded places, and I have now started to wear a mask when the bus is crowded. It helps a little bit. And I always wash my hands. I've gotten alot of colds all my life.
Some folks though seem to get sick only once a year or even less. The problem I am starting to realize is that I am not getting my vitamin C naturally. I have started to drink alot of cranberry juice. But I have also heard that pine needles can have much more vitamin C than even orange juice. What I heard is you take some pine needles (no more than about half a glass) than steep them in hot water for 20 minutes. Eat the needles and the tea and it will help.
Any pine needles will work, even white pines, which are more common here in Nassau county. Buying vitamins in the store aint cheap either, I used to get a bottle of 100 500MGs for $3, now they can cost $6 or more. And I doubt it does anything.
Probably better off getting my vitamin C from pine instead of pill. What do ya think?

 

[Boyd]

I'm like you and get a number of colds every year. But a few months ago when I felt one coming on, for the hell of it I tried some "Cold-eeze." Now I have always been really skeptical of kind of thing in the past, but I am now a believer (much to my surprise). For me that stuff really works. I have chased away several colds now which I'm sure would have gotten worse otherwise. I don't know, maybe it's the "placebo effect," but I'm going to keep using it as long as I get results.

I'm not surprised about the pine needles and vitamin C. I find the smell of pine needles intoxicating for some reason. I love to grab a bunch of fresh needles and twist them until they break in two. That releases a really pungent smell which is incredible. I think it smells a lot like a citrus fruit.

Let us know if you come up with any good home remedies!

 

[dragoncjo]

I heard that vitamin c and pine needles thing last night on my favorite show man vs. wild. I may try it next time I'm in the pines.

 

[bobpbx]

I have now started to wear a mask when the bus is crowded.

Thats alright. But don't do that on the moolit nights in the Long Island Pines.

 

[LongIslandPiney]

I've tried Coldeeze, never really helped me.

 

[Gerania]

Do what I say, not what I do. I'm not a doctor, but I play one at home.

First of all, vitamin C is a good thing. Eat an orange or almost any other kind of fresh fruit. If you don't want to do that, buy frozen OJ, the 6 oz. size or small containers of not from concentrate. Air space in the container and temp matter.

Don't buy cheap vitamin C. Buy fewer or take fewer vitamin C complex. Ascorbic acid is not vit. C.

Cold-eeze aka zinc gluconate can help to reduce the severity and duration of a cold. Start taking it when you think that you might be getting sick. Once you've got a full blown viral infection, it's too late.

When you're sick, eat fewer mucus producing foods: dairy, eggs, refined flour. When you're sick, eat like you're sick, cut your body a break. Eat chicken soup, really. Read about neutrophil activity and the consumption of chicken soup.

Drink plenty of fluids, points subtracted for vodka and tonic among other things. Cranberry juice is good though it usually comes in the form of cranberry juice cocktail and contains far too much sugar. Don't drink a lot of that.

I love the smell of pine and yes, Boyd, some of it does smells citrusy. I notice the aroma most when I go out on a day when it's very cold in the morning and it's sunny and above freeing in the afternoon.

Have any of you tasted pine needle tea?? Yum yum, tastes about as good as paint thinner smells.