By man flu, I mean that cough that’s going around (Blog will get demoted if I mention the name)
Sleep, a whole food diet and getting your jabs is the best place to start.
All the supplements etc listed below have at least one scientific paper showing that it works to some degree whether it’s in vitro (petri dish or test tube) or in clinical studies on people, rather than on a collection of cells….
In theory, chaga mushrooms may help, other foods or supplements that either reduce the negative health effects or stop you getting it in the first place include:
For Informational Purposes Only – I do have a MSc in Nutrition but I’ve just taken these from a quick search on Google Scholar.
To Reduce the Damaging Inflammation Once You Get It:
- Black seed oil
- Wormwood
- PEA – palmitoylethanolamide
- Curcumin
- Exogenous ketones (or being in ketosis)
- Methylated blue
- Chaga Mushrooms
Ephedra sineca (stimulant – so be careful if you have high BP etc)
To Mitigate Chances of Getting a “Bad Case” of Man Flu in the First Place:
- Vitamin d3 with k2 (also requires adequate levels of magnesium to work)
- Zinc with turmeric, quercitin or green tea
- Acetyl l carnitine
- Dandelion extract
- Garlic essential oil
- Oregano oil
- NAC (can also use once you’ve got it – reduces inflammation)
- Niacin /NAD (can also use once you’ve got it – reduces inflammation etc)
Other than eating supplements and herbs if you want to prevent getting “Man Flu” in the first place you may want to consider buying a neilmed sinus rinse and add a bit of iodine to it.
You can also look to use:
- Iodine gargle
- Iodine nasal rinse
- Salt inhaler
- Allicin inhalation
I have a salt inhaler from Amazon – and I open a capsule of allicin (from garlic) into the contents when I inhale with it.
Some decent evidence that gargling with diluted iodine and rinsing your sinuses with a salt solution (neilmed on amazon sell one called netipot) with a bit of iodine prevents the virus from ‘building up’
If you don’t fancy a nasal rinse, using a salt inhaler, preferably with some allicin has a similar effect
Ice baths have been shown to increase white blood cell count – I wouldn’t recommend having one whilst you are ill though – just before – when you’re in good health.
Saunas, may also help fight the man flu – but I did feel like I was going to have a heart attack when I had a piping hot bath on day 2 of being ill. More info here – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7372531/
Vitamin c is also helpful as a base to prevent infection, but be aware high doses can produce oxalates, which can be offset to some extent with tart cherry juice or extract
Finally, here’s a great Man Flu Meme
