How can I tell the difference between allergies and a cold, when both start out with similar symptoms? Recently I came down with sneezing, nasal congestion, itchy throat and ears, which I thought was an allergy attack. Apparently I was wrong, as it soon developed into a cold that advanced to bronchitis with a bad cough.
Therese
Dear Therese,
This is a great question, and as your experience shows, knowing the difference is important in determining which herbal formula you should take.
Colds and flu are caused by a viral infection. ImmunoPhase contains herbs that attack viruses while reducing the inflammation that causes sore throat pain and nasal congestion. Taking ImmunoPhase at the very first sign of symptoms gives you a good chance of knocking the cold out within a few hours. At the very least, you will significantly shorten the duration of infection and dramatically reduce symptoms so you can quickly get back to your normal life.
Allergic reactions result from exposure to allergens, such as pollen, mold or animal dander. AllerPhase contains herbs that inhibit and reduce the body’s reaction to an allergic trigger to aid in controlling the sneeze reflex and clearing out nasal congestion. If you catch a cold, AllerPhase can reduce your nasal symptoms but it doesn’t offer protection against other symptoms. The problem is that unless you are absolutely certain that you’ve been exposed to an allergen it is very difficult at the outset to know if your symptoms are caused by a virus or allergen.
The best option is to treat early symptoms as if you are catching a cold. To do otherwise runs the risk of developing a severe infection that can lead to bronchitis or pneumonia, lasting for weeks and putting you completely out of action.
In addition to ImmunoPhase we have recently introduced a new formula that should be taken at the first sign of a cough that could turn into bronchitis. BronchoPhase contains a number of additional antiviral herbs not included in ImmunoPhase, in addition to herbal compounds that aid in clearing out phlegm and bronchial congestion. BronchoPhase can effectively reduce the amount of time you have a cough associated with an infection and greatly diminish symptoms.
Clearly, the best results occur when you act quickly and use the proper formulas at the earliest signs of symptoms. It also makes sense to have them on hand in your medicine cabinet at home or in your luggage when traveling so you can be prepared should you have the misfortune of catching a virus or being exposed to an allergen. All of the formulas have an effective shelf life of at least three years when stored properly away from heat and bright light.
Combining Herbal Formulas
If you have an infection that leads to nasal congestion, take 2 capsules of ImmunoPhase 3-5 times daily. You can add in one capsule 3 times daily of AllerPhase to help resolve the nasal congestion.
If your infection begins to attack the lungs, take 2 capsules of BronchoPhase 3-5 times daily. You can also take 1-2 capsules 3 times daily of ImmunoPhase for additional anti-viral action. As well, you can add in 1 capsule 3 times daily of AllerPhase to improve clearance of lung congestion.
Yours in Health,
John Steinke, L.Ac.
Director of Product Development