By Martha S. Benedict

As published in Body Mind Spirit, Feb/March, 1995

Beta-carotene and other carotenes are powerful immune enhancers.

Vitamin A is useful, especially when a person has chronically low resistance and a lot of clear mucus. Garlic perles are also useful. Use large doses for three days.

Minerals: iron, zinc, and selenium are especially helpful.

Mushrooms: reishitaki and ganoderma are potent immune-system supporters. They are sweet, neutral, and do not work against anyone's stomach.

Echinacea is another immune-system supporter. It is a mild lymphatic cleanser which assists the body in processing and excreting bodily waste material. Use as a tincture or pill, as it is bitter as a tea.

Homeopathy is very useful if correctly applied. Some of the common initial onset remedies include aconite, allium for copious nasal discharge, gelsemium for muscle aches and fever below 102 degrees, belladonna for fever 102 degrees and higher, and ferrum phos. to enhance immunity. The Chinese herb formula called Yin Chiao is extremely useful in the first 24-48 hours of a cold's onset. I give all my patients a vial or two to keep in their purse or coat pocket at the beginning of the season. If taken soon enough, it often prevents a trip to any health professional's office.

To clear nasal passages, use a saltwater irrigation or nose drops of Irish moss and a bactericide or goldenseal tea. Goldenseal is especially helpful in relieving the headache associated with sinus blockage. Using eucalyptus oil under the nose, or in a steam pot, or on the rocks in a sauna is also very soothing. Soaking feet in hot water (you can add cayenne, mustard, ginger, cinnamon) also helps to clear the head.

To help relax joints and muscle aches, a hot bath with dry mustard powder added relieves the deep cold and ache. Soak 10 so 20 minutes.

For a chest cold or deep cough, a mustard/ginger powder plaster is marvelous, but please use caution. Once in a while you can get a skin irritation which may burn for about 5 to 10 minutes (Washing it off will nor alleviate the symptoms of redness and you will only get chilled. The red irritation will subside in a few minutes and go away in a few days). Use l tsp. mustard powder, 1 tsp. dry ginger powder, and I to 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Rub into chest and back. Put on an old T-shirt as it will stain. Take a shower the next day. Very effective!

For an earache, insert into the external canal (if there are no perforations of the eardrum) warm garlic oil or glycerine, or a mix of St. John's wort and mullein oil. Stuff ear with cotton. Use a hot-water bottle to keep ear warm. Many antibiotics are not as helpful in earaches as current wisdom would have us believe. Unless there is severe pain and the drum is in danger of rupture, using a combination of simple remedies is useful.

And let's not forget hands-on therapy. Massage, body work of your preferred variety-acupressure, shiatsu, Swedish, deep-tissue, reflexology, etc.-almost always feels good. If you have access to acupuncture in your state, it is fabulous for rerouting the old cold/flu track. Period.

See? There are many common things to do. If after trying a combination of the simple approaches you still do not feel well, then call your favorite professional for consultation.

Martha Serrie Benedict, M.A., O.M.D., Lac., received her master's degree from Stanford Medical School and was on the faculty of the University of California's medical school before she began studies in Taiwan and then mainland China. This led to her becoming the first non-Asian woman to be certified to practice Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in California in 1976. She integrates Native American medicine, naturopathy, and homeopathy into Chinese and Western Medicine in her practice in Santa Cruz, CA.