How to combat a cold comprehensively, explains an expert in functional medicine.

Winter is in full swing, and when your throat starts to hurt, you'll want to start taking preventative measures right away.

Saline nasal sprays and medications like Sudafed and Benadryl have long been used for this purpose (and recently went viral on TikTok thanks to Sister Monica Clare, CSJB, @nunsenseforthepeople, who combined all three (Immediately relieved of a cold).

However, if you're reading PaidforArticles, you're probably looking for a more holistic approach to cold prevention and management. So, we asked Stacey Stephenson, DC, CNS, best-selling author of Vibrant and a leading leader in functional medicine, how she stops catching a cold.

What to do when you feel a cold coming on.

According to Stephenson, a conventional doctor would likely recommend the combination of saline nasal spray, Sudafed, and Benadryl to prevent a cold from turning into a secondary infection. But as Stephenson says, there is the potential for unpleasant short-term and possibly long-term side effects from taking these drugs, and you may get the same or similar results with more natural remedies.

"I don't think it's necessary to lug around over-the-counter pharmaceuticals to keep cold symptoms at bay and help a cold resolve itself sooner," says Stephenson.

Instead, you can kick off the cold season by adding the right supplements to your routine early on. Stephenson notes that you always want to supplement with vitamins D and C, not just when symptoms appear. "These immune support supplements can help your body naturally fight off a virus," he tells PaidforArticles.

Stephenson also points out that eating a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables consistently will provide you (and your immune system) with a full spectrum of nutrients to help your body fight off viruses before they become infections.

And in terms of what he recommends when symptoms strike, he can endorse the saline spray (which he says will help with the uncomfortable congestion that can turn into a throat or ear infection), as well as upping his vitamin intake. C and zinc. Of course, you'll also want to get tested for COVID-19 to rule out that possibility and keep yourself and your community members safe.

Additionally, she recommends "drinking warm green tea with a squeeze of lemon (plus vitamin C) and a tablespoon of raw honey (a natural cough suppressant)," and taking some melatonin and/or magnesium gluconate at night to help sleep.

Get some sun outside if you can do so safely, and be sure to drink plenty of water, not juice, he adds. "Eat soup, whole citrus fruits, and berries when you're hungry and sleep more than usual. In other words, take care of yourself and your body will take care of the cold virus," says Stephenson.

Takeaway

If you've been feeling cold lately, be sure to add vitamins D and C to your routine, drink green tea and lemon, and get plenty of sleep to support your body naturally so it can help you through this cold season.