Do you want to avoid using over the counter pharmaceutical products to fight off colds and the flu? Do you feel that using natural items would be a better choice for you? Many adherents of alternative medicine use these products to stay healthy during the cold winter months: 

Garlic

Garlic has been in use for thousands of years as an herbal remedy. It has been used for many things, including the prevention of plague and gangrene. Although it is perhaps most commonly used today for heart disease prevention, garlic still has a place in many medicine cabinets for cold and flu relief. People who take garlic regularly may end up with fewer colds during the cold season and may also have less severe colds, compared to those who don't take garlic.

Most garlic at your local vitamin store may be a deodorized form which may be good for heart disease, but that some people think is not as effective at preventing colds and the flu. It might be a good idea to try taking both, to see which works best for you.

Vitamin D

There is some debate over whether vitamin D is effective at reducing instances of cold and flu. Several studies have been conducted where they gave the participants a massive dose on one day and then nothing for the rest of the month. Perhaps not surprisingly, this method did little to nothing to reduce the impact and severity of these types of infections.

However, there is some indication that daily doses can and do help prevent the onset of colds and flu, especially for people who are initially deficient in vitamin D. Talk with your doctor to find out if you are deficient in vitamin D before heading to your local vitamin store. 

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an old standby remedy for colds. Like vitamin D, there is some debate as to how well vitamin C works in reducing cold and flu symptoms. Fortunately, taking a little extra vitamin C is not generally harmful, although side effects of extremely high doses of vitamin C can be unpleasant. If you experience heartburn, nausea, insomnia or other symptoms, try easing up on your dosage to see whether it was the vitamin C or the cold that has been causing those symptoms.

Echinacea/goldenseal: Echinacea and goldenseal are completely different plants, but are often sold in a combined capsule for cold and flu prevention and relief. A good vitamin store should have both this combined form and the two sold separately. If you choose to take these herbs, it's generally recommended that you not take them for more than two weeks at a time. But these two weeks should be long enough to help ease your cold or flu symptoms.

To learn more, contact a company like Corner Drugs with any questions or concerns you have.