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Chess related: Colds

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baddeeds
13-Nov-16, 08:52

Colds

The Common cold is quite nasty and can also affect your ability to play chess. That's because you're immune system goes through a lot, and thus, puts limits on how much you can think and absorb information. What I'll generally do is stay calmer, and often, take more time. The idea is not pushing your body or mind too much when until that cold has gone away because the fact is that rest is essential. So, in staying calmer and taking more time, you're allowing that rest. And, that is also why I like conditional moves, as well.

deeper_insight
17-Nov-16, 11:51

Many moons ago I worked in a hospital as as certified Pharmacy Technician.I worked along side Md's and pharmacists all the time.For colds,even though there is no real cure,there are 3 things that should be taken to minimize the symptoms of a cold.Sometimes when you take all 3 and supplement with #4...you do not hardly even know you still have a cold,even though its still there...but all 4 will help dry it up:

1.Daily dose of 500 to 1000 mg of vitamin C tabs(preferably chelated or time release tabs for better absorption).These are usually a bit more expensive.If your stomach cannot tolerate 500-1000mg,then take less,but the time release usually prevents an upset stomach.

2. 50 mg of zinc daily(also time release if you can find them and if not,that is ok.The zinc is very important mineral to help dry and replenish mineral loss through the common cold.

3.Orange juice....at least two cups a day,but only the "not from concentrate".I recommend the "most pulp" since the pulp helps as a better absorption catalyst and better nutrient carrier for the body as opposed to pulp filtered orange juice or the weak watered down orange juice.

4. Steam machine with or without vicks vapor in the machine or rubbed in below your nose,towel over your head.Breathe in deeply several times a day.

If you want to skip a few steps above,that is fine but the vitamin c tabs and zinc are critical.

Those cold ease tabs you find in the store are NOT worth the price and have much less vitamin c and zinc in them.Purchasing the c and zinc separately is much better and increasing the doses have been proven to be more effective,especially the vitamin C.

And be careful of the dose differences in the labeling. 50mg is not the same as 50 mcg.Skip anything that has the mcg(microgram as opposed to mg...milligram).A millionth of a gram
will do nothing for you in the case of a cold.Some of those cold supplements have a few "Mcgs"in them of this and that mineral or extract,but for the most part that is a marketing ploy that looks like the product has all kinds of nice things in them,but is basically useless for the most part because it has a disintegrative diffusion rate to zero in the blood stream as it gets absorbed in the liver.

ketchuplover
18-Nov-16, 21:55

muchas gracias for this advice

deeper_insight
19-Nov-16, 08:25

No problemo.The other reason for the megadoses of C is that the body cannot store vitamin C for very long,thus the absorption rate ratio to the body and significant amount remaining in the bloodstream is very small.In other words you end up passing it extremely fast.Thus,the 500-1000mg reinforces the amount in the bloodstream to increase the amount of absorption.So even a 1000 mg C tab may be the equivalent of about 300 mg "true"usable absorption.Zinc absorbs much more readily than C....thus,50 mg is more than enough.

Dr TA has spoken!

baddeeds
08-Feb-18, 15:35

I can see why. I didn't purchase vitamins C. I think one reason being is that I am a little careful about the Ascorbic Acid they might have since there were issues with enamel erosion. But, I found three things that are very helpful for the cold.

One is chicken broth from the soup. There's something in the enzyme that fights the Rhino Virus. The second is new, and I started using it, as of yesterday. It's Zycam which is a nasal spray for colds. It didn't have total effects meaning that it doesn't totally took away the symptoms, but it reduced them while I was trying to sleep which helped to prevent me from needing the caffeine to stay live and active. As I slept better that way, and it helped me at work in terms of the congestion. And, it's the only nose spray that also shortens the cold. But, the most important thing is rest. The key is to try and get extra sleep so that the immune system can fight off the infection.

deeper_insight
08-Feb-18, 19:36

Yes,no...but:

Well Joe,I would not be so sure about taking ANY Zycam products.Let begin with this link:

www.everydayhealth.com

Now,most of the Zicam products contain zinc and as you can see from the link above,nasal
dispersing is not recommended.Not positive which one you are taking,however.You may be taking the one Zicam product that is zinc free,but is homeopathic.It is easy to get approval with a few clinical trials and market success,especially with homeopathics.Simply believing a marketing strategy is not wise,especially with many homeopathic remedies that contain any number of exotic plant or root microgram level ingredients that are diluted down with absorption rates varying widely per individual based upon body weight and other meds that someone may be taking which is more questionable than zinc and vitamin c compared to some of the homop.unknowns.But lets say,for sake of argument that the homeopathic Zicam is ok,but lacks the zinc and vitamin c.

Lets see why Zinc(which is probably not present in your spray)is a great thing to take orally,but not in spray form.I copied this from a medical journal:

Why does zinc help a cold?
"Most colds are caused by a type of virus called rhinovirus, which thrives and multiplies in the nasal passages and throat (upper respiratory system). Zinc may work by preventing the rhinovirus from multiplying. It may also stop the rhinovirus from lodging in the mucous membranes of the throat and nose.Recommended daily does of 50-75 mg seems to work optimally in patients with colds and is best administered at the first signs of a cold."

So,I would personally trust Zinc any day over a homeopathic remedies which have more mixed reviews.Cold EEZE has Zinc Gluconate,however,the actual amount of fractured zinc compound
in those tablets are,in reality,not significantly enough COMPARED to taking a full 50-75 Mg dosages of Zinc right out of the bottle.The higher dosage of 50-75 mg per day will definitely help dry up a cold faster than Cold EEZE or Zicam.And remember,many Zicam products that DO contain any Zinc,are NOT recommended by the FDA to be administered through the nasal cavities.

Now,a bit about vitamin C.
Joe,you mentioned about tooth enamel erosion.Lets put that to rest now.
Yes and no with that answer!

Here it is in a nutshell:
But there is truth in that statement, with regards to chewable vitamin C ONLY!And then ONLY if you are chewing and chewing and chewing,ect ect ect over weeks or months!

See the difference?So if you buy a time release vitamin C and swallow it,NOT let it dissolve in your mouth and not bite or chew it with your teeth,then you will not have the possibility of your tooth enamel eroding.And even if you did chew it,you would have to do that for quite a long,long time over weeks or months to cause tooth problems!

Vitamin C does not prevent colds,nor does Zinc but both together helps minimize the duration(not always but in many reported cases),BUT ONLY if you take both together at the very first sign of a cold.Taking one or both half way through a cold is a waste.Vitamin C also helps/assists the immune system and T cells,which is a beneficial side effect while your body is trying to rid itself of the cold virus.

So time release vitamin C(500-1000Mg) and 50-75Mg Zinc(chelated if you can find it)has been proven more effective than homeopathics which has even more mixed reviews.All Zicams are homeopathic.But its the consumers choice.I could buy vitamin c and zinc separately and still save money over one box of Zicam spray.

Now the ultimate would be chicken noodle soup(with the chicken pieces in it,not just broth) PLUS the Zinc,PLUS the vitamin C,not just plain chicken broth as I mentioned.Chicken noodle soup actually can help soothe a cold. The chicken contains an amino acid called cysteine,which helps thin mucus in the lungs,and the hot broth helps to keep nasal passages moist, prevent dehydration, and fight inflammation in the throat.No,i'm not making this up!Some of this is proven,however to be psychosomatic in some people(the chicken soup)and they feel better only because they believe that their grandmother or parents swore by chicken soup...so it must be true!Well,not necessarily!That is a yes and no answer as well!It depends!

Stick with the C and zinc Joe,in the long run.And no zinc in the nasal passages!And of course,eat 20 cans of chicken noodle soup a week if you think it helps!Of course,the salt in those soups may kill you!So that is also a good way to rid yourself of a cold replacing your blood with embalming fluid as you lay there stiff as a board!Ha ha!

myrydin
07-Mar-18, 14:30

Yes, zinc with the Vitamin C is important. I’ve found that a crushed clove of garlic swallowed with water helps stave off colds when they begin. Probably not much science to back that though.

deeper_insight
08-Mar-18, 05:17

A bit deeper into colds,and deeper habit traits...

Yes,I have been using time release/chelated(better absorption rate) C & Zn for decades with good results.Some people get no results however and call it hogwash.I believe however,that some of those scoffers simply wait too long to take the C & Zn and even waiting a few days too long will be antiproductive to lower the cold symptoms.Others do not take enough of the recommended dosages of at least 50-100mg daily of Zn and 1000 to even 2000 mg C a day.Those scoffers say..."my orange juice will suffice"for that day.Incorrect!!Not enough C in just orange juice alone,and the body does not absorb C very well,so one must take much more of it to compensate.And even one 8 ounce glass of freshly squeezed orange juice contains only about 125 mg of C.Frozen orange juice or the carton brands contain much less...43 to approx 95 mg per 8 ounces.So you would have to consume so much orange juice compared to simply taking a 1000 mg tablet(or two) a day that you will be drowning yourself in orange juice to get the proper c rate during a cold.And how many people feeling a bit weak with the start of a cold are going to fresh squeeze the orange juice?Very few indeed.Also,some people do not know they are getting a cold until all the major symptoms fall into place.Not me.My very first symptom is not one sniffle at all and no watery eyes whatsoever.So how do I know it's coming?I get a slight but deeper sore throat and I rarely get a sore throat.Then shortly after that my ears begin to block up a bit,but still no sniffles or watery eyes.Right at that time(sore throat)I take the C and Zn(before the ears block up) at the very first sign of that sore throat.So,even if it is just a sore throat and NOT a cold,it does not matter because C & Zn is always ok to take for a few days and wait and see,then stop taking the C & Zn if I feel no cold will occur.I suspect few people do this,thus the scoffers come out and claim that C and Zn do not work for them.If you more closely examine people habits,self awareness traits(that many lack)and dosage amount excuses of C and Zn that some people perpetuate that say orange juice will have to do and other foods higher in Zn like...oysters, beef, lamb, toasted wheat germ, spinach, pumpkin seeds, squash seeds, nuts, dark chocolate, pork, chicken, beans, and mushrooms will simply be my Zn for the day...
are fooling themselves.Yes as a supplement to a supplement,but those foods and the orange juice simply do not have enough dosage in them to suffice in the better or best way to reduce the cold symptoms due to body absorption vary rates.So excuses cause some people to claim that C and Zn never works for them,but they are probably wrong for the reasons I mentioned above.

Getting back to the nasal sprays,as the link above states,however,a lost sense of smell can occur with Zn inhalation as opposed to simply taking the tablet.Not sure if Zicam removed all the Zn from their sprays,but if so,then any homeopathic "substitute"is not as good a substitute for the real mcCoy....Zn in tablet form.And always use chelated zinc,not simply zinc tablets...another common mistake by users....
www.google.com

same with C:
www.swansonvitamins.com

So time release and chelated not the cheaper stuff for best results.The cheaper non time release and non chelated tabs are fine if you do not have a cold or DO NOT want to reduce the symptoms of a cold,but other than that,one must invest a bit more to get better results and less excuses of..."that stuff does not work".I smile to myself every time I hear that statement and say to them...but do you know about...ect ect.Does not matter,they still do not listen and remain stubborn in their beliefs even if I forced the tabs on them!Then a probable psychosomatic disorder will be induced because the person will intensify their disbelief in the C and Zn and the cold symptoms will simply never reduce.As a Psychologist,I have observed this many times.

amacivn
09-Mar-18, 12:59

Has anyone noticed that "colds" these days are getting far more vicious these days
Than in the past symptoms are far more severe

As a sufferer with a congenital respiratory illness , I have become a bit of a connoisseur were colds come in , and have various remedies that help when I have the virus, and a new life style to stop catching them , it seems tho still we can only fight the symptoms and not the cause after all this time , getting the flue jab is a must and the pneumonia jab
I find it's the symptoms attaching themselves to colds need looking @ being evil and nasty and new !!

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