Category Archives: Colds & Flu

Thick, Greenish Runny Nose = Antibiotics? No, It Doesn't…

runnynose2It’s a popular misconception among not just the population but also many doctors, that a greenish runny nose = bacterial infection = the need to take prescription antibiotics. Well,  it’s not true! As this fun New York Times article reviews, the color is more a sign of clumps of  your body’s infection-fighting white cells as well as colorful shades of your normal nose bacteria.… Read the rest

Great News: Something Actually Helps Fight The Common Cold — Zinc!

zinc common coldI’ve often complained, along with the rest of the world, that there is no magic pill yet designed to cure the world’s most common illness — the common cold. But now, there is some hope! There’s an excellent meta-analysis by the well-respected Cochrane Library which now says what some docs had been touting for years — that zinc supplements, when taken within 24 hours of cold symptoms, can truly improve symptom severity and length, as well as lower risk of needing antibiotics.… Read the rest

“Not All Bugs Need Drugs” — AKA Antibiotic Overuse…

Here’s another pop quiz: Which scenario below requires antibiotics?

  • A fever for 3 days
  • Cough that turns wet
  • A cough that “gets deeper into my chest”
  • Runny nose that turns yellow

The oversimplified answer is “none of the above“, at least not without having a doctor check you out first, to decide whether it’s a virus or a bacteria.… Read the rest