Ok, we all know that colds are just the pits. A summer cold, however, well, it’s further down than the pits! And why does it always seem to take so much longer to get rid of it?

I recently battled one heck of a summer cold, thanks to my teen son who picked it up while traveling with his All Star baseball team.

Here’s what I did to knock the cold out within 48 hours:

1) I began taking an echinacea-goldenseal supplement. Echinacea and Goldenseal are both strongly recommended to help your immune system fight infections. Goldenseal is a natural antibiotic while echinacea is a proven immune system enhancer. I simply took the recommended dosage for five days.

2) Gypsy ColdCare tea by Traditional Medicinals – ohhh, I can’t say enough good about this tea! It helps the symptoms of a head cold immensely, without the harmful side effects of many over-the-counter medications. And, sweetened with a bit of honey, it even tastes good! I drank a cup of this at least 3 times a day for the first 2 days of my cold.

3) I started taking 100 mg of Alpha Lipoic Acid per day. There is a long list of benefits of Alpha Lipoic Acid, some have even gone as far to call it the ideal antioxidant. Below are some benefits of taking alpha lipoic acid.

* Alpha lipoic acid helps make vitamin C and E work better
* ALA is a powerful antioxidant that fights free radicals
* It’s easily absorbed either from food eaten or from supplements
* Alpha lipoic acid helps increase glutathione which helps with detoxification

4) I began taking 1/2 teaspoon of Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C powder) 3 times per day. We all know that Vitamin C is highly recommended when you are ill – well, this powder (mixed with juice is best) gives you a megadose of Vitamin C and speeds your healing time immensely.

5) One No Shot B12/B6 with Folic Acid once a day. What’s better for energy and stamina (which we definitely need more of when we’re ill) than the B vitamins?

6) A good Multi-Vitamin – I take one of these every day – but it’s a good thing to be taking when you’re ill, also.

7) Fish Oil – studies have shown great benefit to the immune system – this is one of those substances you should be taking daily whether you are ill or not. The benefits of Omega-3 are enormous.

Cold Care Essential Oil blend by ReflexAromas – I love this stuff! It helps unclog stuffy noses in a heart beat – it has replaced my Vick’s Salve – and trust me, I’ve been a believer in Vicks since I was a child!

And, just as a side note, the No Shot B12 and B6, the multi-vitamin, fish oil, and alpha lipoic acid are good supplements to be taking daily. If you build up your immune system and strength before you fall ill, well, you’re less likely to become ill in the first place. And when you do catch that bug, you’ll have a much bigger bug swatter in your immune system arsenal!