Cold busters: stay well this winter with a multi-herb formula

TO PROTECT YOURSELF from colds and flus this season, enlist the help of an herbal formula, says Colorado herbalist Lisa Ganora. "They are often more effective than drugstore remedies, which treat a problem when you're already sick and may have unpleasant side effects," she explains.

To find the right recipe, see an herbalist or naturopathic physician who can custom-mix a fit for you. Or, try these formulas--available at most health food stores--at home. (Follow the label's dosage instructions.) If you have a medical complaint, see your doctor. Also, stop taking a formula if you have an allergic reaction, and get your doctor's OK beforehand if you use prescription drugs.

TO PREVENT COLDS

Mushroom extracts can stimulate the immune system and fight cancer, according to animal studies cited by the American Cancer Society. Researchers credit the active ingredient beta-glucan, a type of carbohydrate found in some mushrooms. For an effective formula, search the label for shiitake, maitake, reishi, cordyceps, and coriolus mushrooms. Gala Herbs' Maitake Defense and New Chapter's Immortal Mushrooms are good bets, says Ganora.

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TO FIGHT COLDS

Dr. Dunner's Sambu-Guard. says Ganora, "can shorten the duration of respiratory infections and help prevent colds." It contains flavonoids from elderberries to protect healthy ceils, echinacea to shore up your defenses against disease, and vitamin C and acerola powder to fight infections. Take it daily during cold and flu season, but not for more than two to three months.

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TO REDUCE STRESS

When you're feeling overwhelmed and more vulnerable to germs, Ganora suggests a mix of "herbs like eleuthero, wild oats, schizandra, licorice, and nettle to nourish the adrenal glands and the nervous and hormonal systems." Try Herbs Etc.'s Adrenotonic, and use it daily for as long as you feel stressed.

HERBS FOR EVERY DAY

ANTIOXIDANT FORMULAS--which contain ingredients like turmeric, green tea, cloves, ginger, peppermint, or rosemary--can be used daily year-round to "fight inflammation from free radicals and provide extra insurance against the cell damage and ailments they can cause," says Ganora. (Free radicals have been linked to cancer, arthritis, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and heart disease.) Ganora s pick is New Chapter s Supercritical Antioxidants, a softgel capsule.--K.E.

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