The most effective time to support your body's response to an infection using Complementary Medicine is as soon as it starts. You need to commence supportive care as soon as the first symptoms appear (e.g. sneezing, itchy throat, fever, runny nose or body aches). Below is a summary of remedies I've found supportive of most bacterial and viral infections in clinical practice.
Please consult a practitioner before starting any of these. The dosing and combinations below are guidelines from my clinical practice — they are not a one-size-fits-all prescription. Contact your practitioner (mine or another qualified one) for specific instructions before starting any therapeutic medication, supplement, or herbal regimen, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking other medications, or managing an existing condition.
Vitamin C
Practitioner-quality powder is preferable. A typical recommendation is 1000 mg of Vitamin C every hour until bowel intolerance, then reducing the dose to 1000 mg three times daily. Bowel intolerance is when your stools become loose or your bowels feel windy.
Echinacea, Andrographis, Olive Leaf, C and Zinc
The most effective way to take the above is as a combined formula. In clinic I use a quality-guaranteed product called Armaforce by Bioceuticals (or a similar practitioner-grade formulation). A typical regimen is to start with 2 tablets, then take 1 every 2 hours for the first day, reducing the dose to 1–2 tablets three times daily.
Garlic capsules
One capsule, 3–4 times daily.
Acupuncture
The following points have a long history of use in supporting recovery from cold, influenza, acute tonsillitis and acute bronchitis: Dazhui (DU 14), Fengchi (GB 13), and Quchi (LI 11). Chronic infection patterns also generally benefit from a course of Acupuncture sessions.
Jungle juice
1 clove garlic crushed, ½ lemon squeezed, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 tsp honey. Mix together in a cup of boiling water. Let stand and sip while still warm. Eat the dregs. Take once daily as a general support; up to 3 times daily at the first sign of cold symptoms.
Chicken soup
Grandma was right. The warming and nourishing qualities of chicken broth are easy to digest and therefore energy-giving to the body. Make a stock from the whole chicken including bones (chicken frames can often be purchased from your butcher). Include immune-supporting herbs and ingredients such as garlic, rosemary, thyme, oregano, shiitake mushrooms, turmeric, and onion. Warming vegetable soups also support immune resilience.
Herbs
Add ginger, shiitake mushrooms, garlic, oregano and thyme to your cooking. For example, add ginger to fresh orange juice to warm it up for digestion. For supporting recovery from bronchitis or lung infections, herbal extracts or herbal tea of Thyme, White Horehound and White Ivy Leaf may be used under practitioner guidance. Where possible, eat these herbs fresh from your garden.
Eucalyptus and Lavender oils
Use as an antiseptic inhalant, a chest rub, or put a few drops in a spray bottle and spray in the air or on tissues. Spot-test on the skin first if you are unsure about allergic reactions.
Hot water bottle
A fever has its own purpose in the immune response. Take a hot water bottle to bed to support warmth if you are not experiencing a fever. Warning: do not use a hot water bottle if you have a fever. Use a cool cloth instead to ease discomfort.
Lifestyle
It's boring advice — but getting enough sleep is priority when supporting the immune system. Stress is also a big factor. Manage your stress, exercise, practise meditation, take time out, and actively breathe joy into your heart.
Minimise junk food and sugar cravings by keeping healthy snacks easily available, like veggie sticks and hummus, seeds, nuts, boiled eggs and fruit. Research shows that high-sugar diets can weaken immune response.
When around others
When in contact with others, keep your distance from people who are coughing or sneezing. Wash your hands with hot water and natural soaps, and keep your hands away from your face. If you are feeling particularly vulnerable, place a few drops of Eucalyptus or Lavender oil on your neck or chest (spot-test first if you are concerned about allergies or skin reactions).
And the obvious one: if you are sick, stay home and rest.