If you feel a case of the sniffles coming on, or are surrounded by coughing co-workers and kids, stock up on powder mixes with high amounts of vitamin C and B to help stave off a cold. Products such as Emergen-C® and Airborne® help stimulate the immune system, provide energy and help you body deal with the stress of illness. “Taken at the first sign of a cold, they can help to prevent the cold from occurring or at least shorten the duration and severity of the cold,” says Melissa Durham, Pharm.D., resident clinical pharmacist at the USC School of Pharmacy. However, she says, “Once the cold is in full-force, these remedies don’t do too much to help.”
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