Colds

[AnneM]

Ever since i was diagnosed with Celiac, everytime i get a cold it lasts for a month! Right now i have had this cold for 16 days with no signs of it letting go. Last winter i had a cold too that lasted a month and the winter i was diagnosed. Before when i had a cold it lasted the normal week, does anyone else have this problem with colds? It is so frustrating sneezing and coughing forever.

[Ursa Major]

Your immune system needs help to function properly again. Have you been tested for nutritional deficiencies? That would be a good idea. If your essential nutrients are low, your immune system can't function, hence illnesses like the common cold last longer.

The nutrients to be tested for are vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, B vitamins (especially vitamins B12 and B6), ferretin (iron).

Consider taking high doses (at least 1000mg) of vitamin C every day, as well as Zinc, vitamin E and 10,000 units of vitamin A. Those are important every time you get an infection.

Also, at the slightest sign of getting ill, you might want to drink echinacea tea several times a day, it boosts your immune system. Hot lemonade with honey is a good idea as well, especially if you have a sore throat.

Cod liver oil will give you the essential fatty acids you need, plus vitamin D and A. I use the Carlson brand, because it is the best, and doesn't taste fishy.

Whenever I follow my own advice, I simply don't catch any colds, ever. If I slip and stop taking my supplements, I'll soon catch something.

[Glutenfreefamily]

We used to get colds very frequently but now its rare. We havent gotten even a single case of the sniffles even though we have spent time with other family members at family functions who are sick. I put us all on elderberry and echinacea tincture during cold and flu season. It also shortens cold and flu durations along with preventing them. Pubmed has some great studies on elderberry.

[YoloGx]

We used to get colds very frequently but now its rare. We havent gotten even a single case of the sniffles even though we have spent time with other family members at family functions who are sick. I put us all on elderberry and echinacea tincture during cold and flu season. It also shortens cold and flu durations along with preventing them. Pubmed has some great studies on elderberry.

I was like you and got no sniffles or anything for close to 2 years. But I had a series of CC's in late January after going off all trace glutens and got seriously sick these last 6 weeks. First with bronchitis, then UTI with some kidney inflammation, now also some kind of nasal congestion--despite doing everything right and taking lots of good herbs. I even had to go on antibiotics, something I rarely have to do. I may have to take a second course for the UTI since I am dragging around sleeping most of the day and wake up with red lips and a low but persistent fever, made worse by any physical activity .

If the antibiotics don't work, I may have to go back to the acupuncturist. She seemed to give me partial relief the two times I did see her. Its just affording her is difficult. I nevertheless am anxious to get back to how I was, very healthy and swimming 3 times a week, as well as doing more in general without getting sick.

However my history is a little different since previously I used to constantly get colds, flu, bronchitis etc. etc. even after going off all gluten (except the trace stuff I didn't realize I was ingesting). However when I started taking co-enzyme B's it made all the difference.

Now I am told I just have to be extremely cautious about not getting CC'd inadvertently. Its a little hard since I have started dating--which in fact was how I first got CC'd and then at a series of birthday parties. The last of which was OK however since I brought my own food and drink! going off the trace glutens overall however is worth it since it made it so I could exercise more, do saunas and jacuzzi without fainting, and got rid of persistent headaches and joint pain from a car accident I had back at the end of 2000. I am also more reassured my nervous system won't deteriorate on me etc. etc. Now I get to just have this reputation for making great alternative breads and food and just never actually eat out unless I bring my own!

[MDRB]

I used to get heaps pf colds and flus that lasted forever and as soon as one was over, I would get another. I became even more strict with the gluten free diet, I ddn't eat anything unless it specifically said 'gluten free' on the label. I even changed my hand soap and shampoo to gluten free ones. It some time to rid myself of all contamination but I haven't had a cold since!

Also try echinacea tablets and a multivitamin supliment (make sure they are gluten free)

Good Luck

[debmidge]

Ever since i was diagnosed with Celiac, everytime i get a cold it lasts for a month! Right now i have had this cold for 16 days with no signs of it letting go. Last winter i had a cold too that lasted a month and the winter i was diagnosed. Before when i had a cold it lasted the normal week, does anyone else have this problem with colds? It is so frustrating sneezing and coughing forever.

Knock on wood for my husband, but even when he was misdiagnosed he never came down with colds...still today, I could have a bad strep throat or cold or stomach flu and he never gets it. Knock on wood I don't want him to get sick. I have a very bad cold this week however.

There's a bad virus going around -- my Dr. says it can last 2.5 weeks: chest congestion, laryngitis, head cold, sore throat -- that's what I have

[home-based-mom]

There is a very bad cold going around. So far I have manage to miss everything in spite of infected family members and customers. I had a flu shot which helps boost the immune system, and I take sublingual B-12. But I think the most important reason is I use a lot of hand sanitizer. Lots, and often. Cold germs are spread hand to mouth rather than through the air. I read they can live for as long as 3 days on things like door knobs, keyboards, ATM keypads, escalator rails, and other surfaces you touch without thinking much about it.

You can get it cheap at WalMart. If you are hesitant to use the stuff with Vitamin E in it and too much sanitizer starts to dry your skin, put some lotion on at the same time.