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Cold/Flu remedies

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mrsjaja

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi guys

My Pharmacist told me i shouldnt use things like Lemsip or cough medicine when i have a cough/cold.

I understand about the cough medicine, cos of the syrupy sugar, but why not a Lemsip??

Has anybody else been told this??

Thanks
 
There's a lot of sugar in Lemsip and it's clones as well. You can get sugar-free cough medicines but not, I think, cold remedies. Talk to your pharmacist and see what they recommend.
 
I was told there is very little sugar in these things, and for the ammount used (1 every 6 hours or so) it wouldn't make nuch difference. It is a personal thing and people have different ideas. I use Beechams Hot Lemons as they help relieve the sore throat. You can get reduced suagr and sugar free cough medicine if you need it.

Other remedies people have tried are hot low sugar blackcurrant or orange squash and take paracetemol to help reduce the temperature and get rid of the aches.
 
I'm a firm advocate of "lemsip" clones. Best to get the cold symptoms sorted - the BG's will follow.
 
i use garlic. Just garlic! A virus multiplies itself inside your cells, which is why antibiotics don't work on them, as antibiotics are just too big structurlly to get inside your cells.

Garlic kills viruses. It also gets inside every cell in your body. You can smell garlic on people's feet 3 minutes affter they have eaten it. Incredible.

AS SOON AS you feel you might be getting ill, squeeze a clove or two of garlic into a mug. Add 2 inches or so of COLD water. Swill it round. Sieve the garlic out into another mug or cup. You now have 2 inches of garlic water. Drink it. Follow with something to take the taste away. If you have a sore throat, don't follow with anything as the garlic can actually kill the sore throat just like that if not washed off. don't use hot water or drink or eat anything hot for a while as the garlic doesn't work as well.

I usually have a couple of mouthfuls of orange juice after, as long as my blood sugar isn't too high.

This really does work if you do it soon enough. My Dr friend does it, and many people I've told about it always do as well, when they find it works! Do it twice a day for as long as you have symptoms.

The other thing I do, which is more - contentious, is never take anything which lowers my temperature. The body has GREAT defences. Part of those defences are the temperature - viruses do not multiply well when they are hot. Obviously if my temp was 105 I might reconsider. But taking medecine which lowers your temp is possibly the reason why taking medecine increases the time you take to get fully better by an average of 3 days. I'm virtually never ill, but if I am, I do this.

The last time I was ill was a chest infection the Christmas before last. Before that it 5 years since the last cold or anything. I didn't take antibiotics as they really do not agree with me - Im lucky in that i have someone who can check on me very day, and so what I did instead of the antibiotic, and those with a bad chest could do it as well as the antibiotic, or before it is necessary and maybe stop it being necessary, is inhale steam for 10 iminutes. Then pile cushions on the floor and bend over them and have tissues ready, and get someone to pat your back, from where the diaphragm is upwards on each side. You will cough and cough - but it works! I was better in 3 days, no antibiotics needed. First time ever.
 
Rubitisson is good for us diabetics as its sugar free and it tastes ok cost me about a fivva.
 
I swear by geranium essential oil for a cold. just buy a bottle of pure geranium ESSENTIAL oil not fragrance oil and just sniff it when you feel a cold coming on. then put a few drops on a piece of cotton wool in a ramakin dish (or other suitable container) and put it near where you are sitting or sleeping.

nb.... do take care to keep it out of reach of children.... and if you get some on your skin wash it off immediately

if you google it you will find the research that has been done.... it definately works

then for a sore throat I use thyme essential oil. just add a few drops to a bowl of warm water and inhale. geranium also works for sore throats too.... but a lot of people feel that the thyme works well in the warm water.

as I have been newly diagnosed I don't know for sure that they don't have an effect on BG levels... but I doubt that they will

if someone coughs or sneezes anywhere near me I get out my bottle of geranium and sniffffffffffffffffffff 😱
 
Lol, I do the same with garlic macast!
 
Normally I just use paracetamol and nothing else.

The house parents at my children's home used garlic cough syrup when I was in care. I thought they were being spiteful but now I know about the garlic I'll give it a whirl.
 
One of the single best things you can do to avoid or reduce the effects of colds is regular exercise, which will strengthen your immune system. This is one of our weak points, after all. The next thing is the whole don't touch public stuff, wash your hands regularly, etc. It's one of the big reasons cyclists do so well, particularly commuter cyclists, since they win on both these points in a big city like London.
 
Absolutely Ergates, I wash my hands when I get in, and if I can, after touching something I can see has just been touched by someone with a cold.
 
Thanks guys - will deffo try some of these, although have to say the garlic water does not exactly appeal, but its getting to the point where i will try anything.

Steffie - Thanks for t he advice on the cough medicine - thats the one my mum recommended!!!!
 
If you just want to alleviate the symptoms, then why not go with a tablet based flu remedy? They probably contain roughly the same stuff as the hot toddy versions and are likely just as effective.

p.s. I hate lemsip - it is the work of STAN.
 
I tend to let these things run their course as I often find that the Lemsips etc., seem to prolong the cold/flu symptoms, I just drink loads of cold water!

take care,

Shirl
 
Hi there,

I'm mostly in agreement with everyone's views. Except, I don't touch commerical cold remedies with a barge pole, there over priced and over there! Good old fashioned paracetamol works for me and practically every dinner I cook, I use chillies, garlic and loads of onions and peppers. I love garlic and I honestly think it's medicinal properties are second to none. Also use olive oil and never anything with trans fat.

A doctor friend told me ages ago, that if the kids had a fever, put them into a tepid bath and let the water evaporate on their skin when they came out. Guaranteed to reduce their temperatures. When I think of how my mother used to pile the bed clothes on me, probably made me ten times worse!

I've just had my first flu jab and my arm is really sore today! Modern medicine?

Donna 😛
 
Absolutely Ergates, I wash my hands when I get in, and if I can, after touching something I can see has just been touched by someone with a cold.

I carry that handgel with me and use that whenever I have had to touch something that I suspect was touched by someone with a cold or some other lurgy lol. but I try not to be too obsessive about it. I tend to use it when I come out of a public toilet too :D
 
My pharmacist gave me some wonderful advice about colds & 'flu; namely:

A treated cold take about 5 days to get better; an untreated cold take about 5 days to get better.

So you've just got to let it run its course and treat the symptoms. I tend to also use hand gel in the office, etc., as most of my colleagues seems to delight in sneezing into their hands / spreading their virulent germs far and wide. Prevention is better than cure and all that jazz.
 
My pharmacist gave me some wonderful advice about colds & 'flu; namely:

A treated cold take about 5 days to get better; an untreated cold take about 5 days to get better.

So you've just got to let it run its course and treat the symptoms. I tend to also use hand gel in the office, etc., as most of my colleagues seems to delight in sneezing into their hands / spreading their virulent germs far and wide. Prevention is better than cure and all that jazz.

Largely my philosophy. If there was a magic substance that cured or prevented the common cold, I feel sure it would be patented and wrapped in colourful packaging for ?9.99 a shot by now. 🙂

You can treat the symptoms but it won't make the nasties go away. You just notice them less.

Interesting thread though.

Rob
 
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