Fall is a busy time of year with kids back to school, work kicking back into high gear and social calendars filling up. The last thing you want is for a cough or cold to sideline any of that.
“At this time of year, everyone is congregating inside more and that makes it easier for viruses to spread,” says Sherry Torkos, pharmacist and author of 18 books including Immunity: Power Up Your Natural Defenses. “The kids are back in school in September and then peak cold and flu season usually starts in November.”
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When it comes to coughs, while you don’t have to endure them, it’s important to remember that medicated cough syrups have their limitations. They can’t be given to children under the age of six years old in Canada for example.
Thankfully there are other options on the shelves such as Prospan by Helixia Kids which is approved by Health Canada and can be used by kids over the age of one. It’s also the only ivy leaf-based cough syrup to contain EA 575, a natural dried ivy leaf extract that loosens mucus and phlegm to free up airways and aid in productive coughing.
Prospan by Helixia may also be a better option for certain populations given it’s gluten-free, sucrose-free and dye-free. “It also does not contain decongestants and a decongestant cannot be taken by someone who suffers from high blood pressure, for example,” adds Torkos.
She also adds that many cough and cold products you see in the pharmacy that address multiple symptoms at once also contain antihistamines along with decongestants. “Antihistamines can make a child drowsy and also if you have a child with diabetes, you have to watch for the sugar and the decongestant,” she says.
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However, this time of year doesn’t mean sickness is inevitable in your household. Whether you’re five years old or 65 years old, prevention is your first line of defense. “Sometimes people forget how important the basics of a healthy lifestyle are such as getting enough rest at night,” says Torkos.
A diet made up of good nutrition is also key as is exercise and vitamin supplements. Torkos recommends a multivitamin and a vitamin C supplement to boost immune systems, along with Vitamin D and probiotics, though it’s a good idea to talk to your pharmacist or doctor about what the best vitamin dosages are for your family.
“As with the prevention of any other condition such as heart conditions and more, lifestyle should be the first resort and drugs should be the last,” she adds.
What should you do if sickness hits your household? “If you are sick, the best thing is to rest,” Torkos says. Don’t forget to encourage drinking lots of fluids and plug in a humidifier. “They put moisture into the air and viruses don’t survive as well in higher humidity,” she says.
Whatever you choose to stock in your medicine cabinet, Torkos suggests thinking about your needs ahead of cough and cold season “I always recommend having your medicine cabinet ready so you don’t have to do that run to the pharmacy late in the evening,” she says.
Canadians looking for a natural solution to combat coughs without side effects that trigger drowsiness, diabetes, gluten allergy, insomnia can turn to Prospan by Helixia.
