5 Ways To Prevent A Cold Naturally

There's nothing common about a common cold. Everyone hates it—you feel crappy and it always happens at the most inconvenient time. It's one of the most common reasons patients come see me during the winter months, but it doesn't need to be. Here are my tips to keep your immune system strong all winter long:

If you haven't figured it out, sleep is incredibly important and actually helps prevent cold and flu. I know personally I'm more susceptible to a virus if I've been on the go and sacrificed a few hours of good sleep. In fact, studies show that less sleep increases your chances of getting a cold. So what better way to prevent it than by sleeping more?

I encourage you to take it a step further and try fasting between 13 and 36 hours to try to rebuild your immune system. While you are doing this, drink herbal teas with ginger, echinacea, or reishi mushrooms, all of which build your immune system to help your body start fighting a cold. Many cultures have been doing this for years—resting their digestive systems while improving their immune system. This is a technique we encourage our cancer patients to incorporate since studies show that fasting1 can also starve the cancer and improve the immune system.

Try incorporating fermented foods like kimchee, sauerkraut, coconut kefir, and kombucha into your diet to get additional probiotics, and be sure to learn how prebiotics help probiotics. I don't usually recommend yogurt or regular kefir since it's dairy-based and can be a mucogenic (increasing mucus production) during this time.

Bone broth is the new "superfood," and it's especially helpful during the cold and flu season. The high sodium content is actually beneficial and helps during colds as you are often weaker and more fatigued during this time and usually dehydrated. The warm soup is also comforting to your throat, and adding a hint of spice can help clear out your sinuses. It's easy to make, and the collagen, glycine, and lysine are all immune boosters helping you get better faster!

Stress actually increases your risk of a cold3. So remaining stress-free during the cold and flu season is key (easier said than done). Make sure you are making time for yourself and taking time to relax and meditate. I highly encourage self-care, so do whatever brings you joy, and that will instantly decrease your stress response, making it less likely you'll get sick this season.