The NHS doctor has said that she does it when she feels an illness coming on
An NHS GP has urged people to start taking a two pills which cost around 1p to help reduce the duration and severity of your common cold and flu this year. Taking to TikTok, Doctor Shireen aka @doctorshireen said that she has tried it and “it really works”.
In her advice video, she said that the tip is “extremely easy” and will help “reduce the duration and severity of any cold you have this winter”. Urging people to try it, calling it “the best investment of your time”, she said that as soon as you think you could be coming down with an illness, you need to start taking them.
She explained: “The second notice an itchy throat, a runny nose, itchy, burning eyes – anything that might suggest you’ve got a cough or cold coming – what I want you to do is take two things – vitamin C and zinc”. You can buy these tablets for as little as £2 from the likes of Asda, meaning for a 180 tablet bottle it’s just 1.1p.
She continued: “You can actually get tablets that you can pop into water – just start it. You can’t prevent coughs or colds, but research is out there to show that taking zinc and vitamin C reduces the duration and severity. I’ve personally been doing this for the last couple of years and I can tell you it really works.”
It comes as Dr Karan Raj, another NHS GP, recently said “if you consume too much calcium, either in supplement form or in food, this can actually impact the iron absorption” which is crucial if you are taking iron tablets. This happens as “calcium competes with iron for absorption in your intestines. High calcium also has an impact on your body’s ability to absorb non heme iron”. This is the type of iron found in many plant-based foods, he explained.
This is the reason why people are suggested to take iron tablets with a source of Vitamin C to improve absorption. You can get them at a low price at most supermarkets and it has multiple benefits.
With this in mind, when you next grab breakfast, the doctor suggests taking “calcium and iron at different times of the day, at least a few hours apart. So if you’re drinking milk, eating yoghurt, or consuming any calcium-rich food, consider delaying your iron supplement by a few hours.”
The NHS also emphasis how important this vitamin is, stating that it:
- helps to protect cells and keeping them healthy
- maintains healthy skin, blood vessels, bones and cartilage
- helps with wound healing
What is a good source of Vitamin C?
Vitamin C is found in a wide variety of fruit and vegetables.
Good sources include:
- citrus fruit, such as oranges and orange juice
- peppers
- strawberries
- blackcurrants
- broccoli
- brussels sprouts
- potatoes
How much vitamin C do I need?
Adults aged 19 to 64 need 40mg of vitamin C a day. “You should be able to get all the vitamin C you need from your daily diet. Vitamin C cannot be stored in the body, so you need it in your diet every day”, warns the NHS.
Why is zinc good for me?
Zinc helps with:
- making new cells and enzymes
- processing carbohydrate, fat and protein in food
- wound healing
What are good sources of zinc?
Good sources of zinc include:
- meat
- shellfish
- dairy foods – such as cheese
- bread
- cereal products – such as wheatgerm
How much zinc do I need per day?
The amount of zinc you need is about around 9.5mg a day for men (aged 19 to 64 years) and 7mg a day for women. You should be able to get all the zinc you need from your daily diet. If you are taking supplements, however, the NHS warns: “Do not take more than 25mg of zinc supplements a day unless advised to by a doctor.”