Re: Hello... and colds

[Guest guest]

Hi Tana,

I hope you're getting settled in your home in Germany. And I'm glad

your daughter has recovered from her cold. Colds are just no fun, but

especially when CF is involved a cold makes everyone miserable -- even

the parents!

When my children were young, whenever they got a cold I increased

their daily vitamin C. They always took 1,000 mg. a day, but when they

got a cold I increased it to at least 3,000 mg. a day -- sometimes

5,000 mg. for my son. I gave this in divided doses (250 to 500 mg. per

dose) because the body can only absorb about 250 - 500 mg., the rest

is just shed out of the body with urine.

They would also suck on a zinc lozenge for about 20 minutes. The zinc

bathes the back of the throat, killing the rhinovirus that causes a

cold. If we followed these steps then we could get rid of a cold in

three days. It never failed for us.

Their dad didn't believe me but once he got a cold and decided to try

our method -- and he was surprised it worked. He got rid of his cold

in three days and bragged to his friends how he " cured " his cold

while they were still suffering. Now even years later he is still a

believer of vitamin C and zinc. Sometimes we also use echinacea to

boost the immune system, but you never want to use echinacea for long

term (longer than 3 months) because it can have the opposite effect

and deplete the immune system.

My children are older now. My son (with CF) rarely gets a cold, but my

daughter seems to catch a cold at least once or twice a year. She

admits it's because she forgets to take her daily vitamin C. She

teaches dance so she is around children, many who often come to class

with colds. But once my daughter begins taking a lot of vitamin C

again and sucks on a zinc tablet, then cold leaves in three days.

As a reminder to take vitamin C during a cold, my daughter put the

vitamin C bottle in the bathroom. Every time she goes to the bathroom

she takes another tablet; this is because every time you urinate

Vitamin C is removed from the body so you have to restore it.

We also greatly increase vitamin C before any upcoming stressful event

such as school exams, airline travel, or surgery, because stress also

eats up your stores of vitamin C.

I knew I'd passed on something to my kids when I realized my daughter

was taking extra vitamin C before cheerleading tryouts, school proms,

and dance recitals because she wanted to be sure she didn't get run

down.

I won't say it cures everything... but it's nice insurance.

Kim

Mom to (23 with CF & asthma) and (20 with asthma, no CF)