Using Vitamins to Battle Cold and Flu Season

2009 will be remembered as the year of the swine flu. Indeed, this worrisome, sometimes deadly strand of flu has impacted the world in a way that has not been witnessed for many years. As people of all ages line up for their flu shots, it is important to know that vitamins and natural supplements can help treat and prevent these sometimes serious health issues.

How do Vitamins help protect us against the swine flu and other viruses? A virus impacts damage by spreading throughout the body. It is much more difficult for a virus to spread through a healthy body. Vitamins strengthen the immune system, which in turn creates a stronger body that is equipped to keep viruses at bay.

Natural vitamins do more than just act as preventive medicine. They can also be used to help individuals recover from a cold or flu faster.

Using vitamins when you have the flu

In any given year between 5% - 20% of the population will get the flu virus. In ?bad? years as many as 300,000 people may be hospitalized as a result of the flu. Vitamin experts agree that taking high doses of Vitamin C during the early stages of the flu can help speed recovery time. 3-4 grams of Vitamin C in the first 24 hours of symptoms is considered a ?mega-dose?, but one that will help promote the healing process. Always check with a professional before taking a high dose of Vitamin C.

Using zinc supplements to fight off colds and the flu

Zinc supplements are known method of getting healthy when you?ve been brought down by a cold or flu. Zinc helps promote a healthy immune system which, even in the midst of an illness, plays a role in recovery. The active ingredients is Zinc have been found to reduce the length of cold symptoms significantly. The ability of the zinc supplements to help fight colds is dependent upon when the individual begins taking the vitamins. Generally speaking, the individual must begin using zinc in the first 24 hours of the cold?s onset.

It is important to remember that vitamins and natural supplements alone are not enough to prevent or ?cure? a cold or flu. If are you suffering from either of these conditions, and symptoms persist over an extended period of time, seek help from a medical professional. You should never try to diagnose yourself, or take additional amounts of supplements in an effort to get better faster.

It is also vital that you know and understand the recommended daily dosage levels for vitamins. If you are taking amounts that are significantly higher than these dosage levels, please consult a physician or a health care professional before proceeding.

Read the labels on all the vitamins you purchase and follow directions closely. These instructions were created by medical professionals who understand the vitamin supplements and how they will affect the system. Straying too far from these instructions can be dangerous. And if you keep kosher, there are vitamins available to meet your needs as well. Kosher vitamins follow the strict preparation guidelines of the Jewish faith and offer all of the benefits of regular vitamins.