Supplement ingestion

[Dan Sontheimer]

For the record for those at Class on 3/1:

Oil of oregano does have antibacterial and antifungal properties.   Research literature shows it is effective in eliminating E. Coli from chickens and mice.  Nothing on humans that I could find.

However, high doses can cause stomach ulcers and dizziness.  "Highs" from oregano are thought to derive from the effects on the stomach that causes shunting of blood away from the brain to the stomach.  This leads to lower (altered) metabolism in the brain.

Finally, being planted-based anaphylactic, life-threatening allergy is also possible.

If you want to go natural for sore throats, I'd stick with teas, honey and zinc lozenges.

Dan

[SiGung Vincent A. Cabais]

Andy,

I agree with Dan.

Most health food stores are full of people that have no idea about the side-effects that may happen with their suggestions.   This is bad!  The tendency is that they have no idea how someone might react to something different.  I don't know what kind of 'liability' issues there are... maybe they don't have to worry about it.

Stick with teas!  The heat is soothing for your throat.  Also... stop kissing strange girls!   That might help.

[Harvey Meeker]

Supplements IMO are usually too expensive for the amount of benefit they might confer.  Most of them that people state actually help only do so over a long period of time so you end up wasting a lot of money and not really knowing whether it was the supplement that helped you out or just your bodies natural recovery mechanisms.  Usually claims that supplements do help are mostly anecdotal as there aren't many long term scientific studies on these things.

Eat right and exercise.

Tea is good for colds and there is some benefit to eating chicken soup even though it sounds like a cliche.

[Dan Sontheimer]

the most dangerous things about supplements is that they do not have to undergo any scrutiny from the FDA, since they are supplements, not drugs.  hence the ephedra fiasco.

That being said, there are some of value.  Look to an independent review like the German commission E monographs or other databases.

Dan

[Katie Eveker]

Honestly, i grew up with a Pharmacist in the house, so its hard for me to get behind all natural remedies. Most often these types of Homeopathic meds depend on building up over time, so to prevent a cold next year, start taking your bee pollen now, and don't combine it with any type of caffine.

This is not to say he didnt reccomend teas. The heat is good for breaking up mucus, and decaf is good for hydration. Just don't depend on ingredients to be miracle workers.  The One thing he did reccommend for any cold is Hot and Sour soup, the spicier the better.  Did you ever notice that sometimes when you eat something hot n' spicy your nose runs? Thats because Peppers are natural decongestamts / expectorants.

Katie