Just Ask Terry

Terry is happy to provide his opinion on diet and nutrition, supplements and lifestyle choices. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Should you have any concerns please contact your physician directly.

Q. Hi Terry, “I have 3 children in grade school, and whatever they catch, they bring home to me. Are there alternative or complimentary products that can help cure colds?” —Anne B., Beloit, WI A. Dear Anne, I am not sure anyone can “cure” a common cold with a single pill, but I absolutely can recommend some herbs that will help you get better MUCH faster, or might even prevent an illness in the first place. I like to use two herbs called andrographis and pelargonium in a formulation together. They both improve the immune system in different ways, are both clinically studied, and very safe and effective. In fact, one study using pelargonium saw a 50% reduction in cold symptoms compared to the placebo group, and full recovery with no lingering symptoms at 10 days was almost triple that of placebo! I keep these herbs on hand in my medicine cabinet so I can take them at a moment’s notice. They work best if you can use them at the first sign of any cold or flu symptoms. My other advice is to wash your hands and encourage your children to do so as well. But you don’t need antibacterial soap, which actually has some very unhealthy chemicals in it. Any natural healthy soap will do. Best wishes–Terry