Continuing with our look at how to approach the first tickle of a cold or seasonal allergies, we’ll finish up with the final two parts of our immune boosting supplements.

Garlic

The second part of our immune boost supplements is garlic; it’s been noted to have beneficial properties for over 5,000 years. Garlic thins the blood, thereby benefiting blood pressure, and helps lower cholesterol. Garlic does many things, but what benefits our immunity is its ability to boost the immune system while reducing inflammation.

There’s little question that garlic helps the immune system. It’s been used as a dietary treatment to help the immune system recover from chemotherapy; it’s also been used in supplement form to help the immune system get and stay stronger. That’s an obvious way it helps with viruses and allergies, but it also acts as an anti-inflammatory. It’s important to remember that inflammation occurs whenever our body is under attack—not necessarily broken-leg inflammation, but the release of negative hormones. Garlic helps reduce that type of inflammation.

Just as with echinacea, it’s important to begin as soon as the first tickle occurs. The quantity would be 600 mg taken three times a day. That makes our immune system start to work better.

Vitamin C

The third part of our immune system boost is vitamin C; also known as ascorbic acid, it’s best known as an antioxidant. From the research of Linus Pauling until today, vitamin C has been studied extensively. Even though vitamin C hasn’t been proven to prevent a cold, it does seem to reduce the symptoms of a cold. That may be the result of its antioxidant capacity to reduce inflammation.

When the body is exposed to viruses or allergens, the immune response is triggered. That’s desirable, of course, but what we don’t like are the symptoms associated with the response, such as watery eyes, runny nose, congestion, and on and on. While the exact mechanism is unknown, what may be happening is that vitamin C may be clearing up the free radicals in immune response cells, thereby allowing them to function better. No one knows, but it makes sense.

Take 250–500 mg three times a day. Some people increase their C to 10 times that amount, but my strategy is always to take the lowest amount to get the result I want.

The Bottom Line

The old adage “There’s no cure for the common cold!” was correct and still is as of this date. But if you want to reduce the symptoms and possibly the duration of common infections such as colds, the flu, or even seasonal allergies, remember the immune boosting trio.

Let’s summarize our immune boost formula, keeping in mind the number of tablets can vary depending on brands. Three times per day, take these:

            500 mg echinacea

            600 mg garlic

            250–500 mg vitamin C

Remember: the first tickle in your throat is the best time to start the immune boost trio.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: Nutrients. 2022. https:// doi.org/10.3390/nu14214604