The Power of Salt

Maybe you gargle with salt water when your throat hurts, which is great.  But, did you know that this is also an effective cold and flu prevention tool? "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. This certainly holds true during the winter months when "pernicious evils” (aka viruses and bacteria) abound.

Do not discount the power of a bit of salt in warm water. In 2005, the American Journal of Preventive Medicine published the results of a randomized study of almost 400 healthy volunteers. One group of the subjects were told to gargle three times a day for 60 days during the cold and flu season. The group that regularly gargled had a nearly 40 percent decrease in upper respiratory tract infections compared with the control group! And, when they did get sick the gargling lessened their symptoms. This should be front page news - easy, super cheap and effective!

How to do it: dissolve a heaping ½ teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water. Gargle for 30 - 60 seconds (longer is OK, but even a minute seems like a long time for most people!). Some people gargle, spit, gargle, spit, gargle, spit. Others are continuous garglers.

When to do it: anytime you are exposed: your co-worker is sniffling and coughing in your shared office, after attending a party, when your child or spouse is sick. Or, better yet, do it every day throughout the cold/flu season. And, of course, do it when you are sick (and stay home!).

Remember - little is big, and small shifts add up to significant changes. Incorporate simple prevention strategies into your life and spend fewer days running through boxes of Kleenex.

Prevention is powerful,
Kirstin LIndquist  
Owner, Licensed Acupuncturist