One of the most wide-spread ailments of modern times is what is termed a “common” cold. It is so common that our markets are virtually flooded with remedies for colds. All of them are good sellers, so much so that the industry runs into millions of dollars. Plenty of the poor man’s money, time from work, and his health are wasted trying to doctor a cold with more harm than good to the sufferer.
Symptoms of a cold are: at first, irritation in the nose and throat, sneezing, coughing, running nose, inflammation of the throat and the bronchial tubes, loss of the senses of smell and taste, fever, and other complications. When the cold starts breaking up there is expectoration of a thick greenish phlegm from the throat, watering of the eyes, and, finally, a gradual subsiding of all the symptoms.
The nature of all the enumerated symptoms, particularly the expectoration and the running nose, clearly shows that they are a result of a natural process of elimination of accumulated waste materials unwanted by the body. These wastes have been accumulating in the body for a long period of time and gradually over¬load the system until some cause like a draft, acute indigestion, mental excitement, et cetera, has caused a violent reaction. The body is making a supreme effort to eliminate all the accumulated wastes in order to be able to continue its proper functioning.
In spite of its extreme discomfort and unpleasantness a cold is actually a blessing to us because it rids our body of poisons which, if retained by us, would kill us in time. It is foolish to try to suppress a cold through medicines, shots, or any other means because the cold will remain in your body only to spurt out later in a more severe form, since more impurities will have been added if you continue the same mode of living for a while longer.
Accumulations of waste matters bringing about colds are caused by habitual overeating, also by the consumption of toxic, acid-forming, and constipating foods which clog up the digestive sys¬tem and overload our blood with poisons.
Instead of suppressing the symptoms of a cold by taking medícines, it is better to encourage a greater elimination of wastes so that the cold will break up faster. An enema should be taken once or twice a day for several days; hot baths and plenty of rest are essential. No food should be eaten and only copious quantities of water with some lemon juice in it taken until the symptoms sub¬side. Usually, under such treatment, the stubbornest cold will break up in three to four days. When expectoration begins, continue for three to four more days to drink liquids — water, fruit juices, and later on vegetable juices, skim milk, fruits, and melons in season. If you have to continue working throughout the cold it is advisable to subsist from the start on solid fruits, melons, and skim milk instead of the above-advocated complete abstention from all foods for a few days. In this case recuperation will not be as fast as in the first one, but you will be able to keep on working at your job without interruption in spite of the cold when this is unavoidable or urgent.
After the cold is gone continue to stay on a light diet, gradually adding raw and cooked vegetables, baked potatoes, and cottage cheese, but no concentrated starchy foods — breads, cereals — and no meats for a couple of weeks.
When a cold is not taken care of properly, or is suppressed by artificial means, complications may set in. They may be any one or more of the following: catarrh of the eyes, nose, or throat; sinusitis, swollen adenoids, ear trouble, bronchitis, hay fever, asthma, lung infections and a long list of various body derangement.
After the cold is completely over you will feel much better and peppier than you did before the cold set in. This is due to the fact that a load of poisons has been eliminated from the body which is restored to a better all-around functioning. If you wish to continue feeling and doing well you must adhere to a proper way of living, in particular, a proper way of eating. Once more we will repeat that it is what you put into your body that makes you well or sick. A general healthful regime of natural living foods, plenty of sunshine, fresh air, and a proper mental attitude will go far in preventing colds and will keep you in a fine condition of health.