Grandmother Knew Best

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When cold viruses penetrate the mucus blanket, their reproduction kills throat cells. As the cells die, they release several substances, one of which is called histamine. Histamine causes the tiny capillaries in the infected area to expand . . . stimulating increased blood flow into the area. The blood carries white cells and antibodies that attack the virus. (It also warms the area somewhat, impeding viral reproduction.) As blood bathes the infected area, the throat becomes red and raw. Enlarged capillaries press on nearby nerves to "tell" the brain you have a sore throat.

Meanwhile, some of the fluid in the extra blood that has been brought to the infected area drains out of the capillaries and into the "nasopharynx", the area behind the mouth where the nose and throat join. This fluid mixes with mucus to produce the runny nose and stuffed-up feeling usually associated with colds.

Cold sufferers feel sluggish because the virus slows the body's metabolic rate, which cools it and promotes viral reproduction. Fever, on the other hand, increases metabolism . . . promotes healing by spurring the elimination of dead cells and the creation of new ones . . . and raises the body's heat to beyond the most fertile range for viral reproduction.

GRANDMA WAS RIGHT

In other words, your system fights a cold by raising its temperature and drawing blood into the infected area. Grandma's home remedies enhance this natural process.

Bundling up and resting in bed keep you warm and increase the blood flow to the skin surface. These treatments also promote relaxation. When the body experiences stress, it releases a hormone called cortisol, one of the effects of which is inhibition of antibody production. As the body relaxes, cortisol levels decrease and the system produces more antibodies to fight the infection.

Drinking warm liquids is doubly helpful. Such beverages raise the temperature of the throat and add fluids to the body. As your temperature rises to fight a cold, your body fluids evaporate faster than usual. Hot drinks replace the fluids and promote capillary expansion. (Acidic liquids, like orange juice and lemon tea, provide extra help by acidifying the throat. Cold viruses cannot survive an acid environment.)

Recent research has also shown that vitamin A promotes healing and that infections deplete the body's supply of the substance. Cod liver oil may taste terrible, but it's loaded with this essential nutrient. The medicinal value of garlic has long been controversial, but the aromatic flavoring also contains several vitamins and minerals important to the healing process.

Catching a cold is one way your system tells you to slow down for a few days. Trust your body. Listen to it. Don't fight it with "cold formulas" that promise symptomatic relief. The symptoms may be unpleasant, but they are part of the body's healing process.

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