Health & Fitness

Getting a cold seems to be the least happily anticipated yearly tradition known to man. For many it seems like no matter what we try, we still end up getting one or more colds each year. Avoiding a cold is to some degree a matter of luck. Washing your hands regularly is a big help, but in the end even this precaution can be thwarted.

Once youve resigned yourself to the fact that you do indeed have a cold, there are luckily some things you can do about it. Apart from taking daily doses of moms chicken noodle soup, you can employ a number of techniques to greatly reduce the cold viruss lifespan. The secret is zinc supplements.

Zinc has proven itself to be a worthy combatant against the sturdy cold virus. Zinc lozenges in particular are effective at reducing the length of a cold. It has been shown that taking zinc lozenges regularly during the course of a bout with a cold can reduce the number of cold days from seven down to four. Thats a fairly dramatic difference and certainly worth the effort of taking a few cough drops.

Zinc Might Even Be a Preventative
Not only is zinc a good way to help yourself once youve caught a cold, but some studies have shown that zinc can actually help prevent the common cold. There have been reports that taking zinc lozenges daily can reduce your chances of catching a cold by 62 percent. Of course taking vitamin C and other immune system boosters can also greatly help your body stave off colds.