Have you ever gotten sick the week before an important race? I have. Getting sick can really screw with your fitness and almost guarantee a poor race performance.

What makes it worse is that you’re probably stressed out getting ready for the race (which leads to a compromised immune system,) and if you’re traveling, you’re going to be exposed to new germs, making your immune system function more critical than usual.

Plus, I HATE getting sick. I’ve managed to get sick at the most random times, even when I’m eating healthy and not overtraining, so I’m always trying to find ways to prevent illness.

One such way I found is by using a product called Swype Cold & Flu Shield. You’ve probably never heard of it because it’s relatively new, but it was developed by Kent C. New, a physician with a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology, so it sounds legitimate.

What is Swype?

As far as I know, it’s the only product of its kind. You could think of it like an advanced hand sanitizer gel that you use on your nostrils rather than hands.

The point of using it around your nostrils is that that’s where a virus is most likely to enter your body. And since you’re still likely to touch your face at some point no matter how many times you are told not to, there’s a good chance your face is encountering these germs every time you’re out in public.

So you use Swype daily, and it kills many of the viruses which cause colds and the flu before they affect you. That’s the plan at least.

Here’s what the website says:

Ingredients kill over 99.9% of all 25 viruses tested in lab tests, including H1N1 (swine flu), H5N1 (avian flu), and over 20 viruses which cause colds

Speaking of ingredients, the list contains items commonly used in cosmetics. I’m not a chemist so I can’t explain them any further, but I can say that during my two months of Swype use, I experienced no rash or reaction to the stuff.

How to use Swype:

This is very simple; it’s just as quick as using hand sanitizer.

Just squeeze the tube of Swype until a pinhead size drop comes out the top. (The older the tube, the harder you have to squeeze. If it’s a brand new tube, it will probably ooze out on its own, so be ready.)

Then wipe that onto your index finger, and rub the Swype gel between your thumb and index finger. Then rub it onto the outside of your nostrils.

I give my nostrils a quick wipe, then I wipe my fingers down the side of my face to get the residue off. (The gel doesn’t leave any streaks on your face.)

I’ll admit, it sounds like a lot of hassle, but once you try it, you see it’s really simple. And overall it’s no worse than carrying cough drops, using hand sanitizer, taking pills, etc.

Watching the video shows how easy it is:

How often to use Swype?

It is suggested that you use Swype 2-3 times per day, at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I typically used it twice per day, but would use it three times if I was likely to encounter a lot of germs.

Basically, the closer it is to cold season, and the more public and/or crowded areas I plan to visit, the more I use it. (Some days I forget and use it once per day, but that’s better than nothing I suppose.)

After a while, I began to wonder – if you’re an athlete that’s sweating a lot, or perhaps you swim, should you be worried about applying Swype more often? Or at least, time it so that you’re not applying Swype right before you get in the pool or hop in the shower?

And I got an answer from none other than Kent C. New, MD, PhD (a founding partner of the company that created Swype.)

The bottom line is, I don’t think how often or how much you sweat or blow your nose makes a huge difference in how often you need to use Swype. The reason why has to do with how I think the process works.

Without Swype, you get a virus on your hands, which you then transfer to your face by touch. The virus on your face then replicates and spreads into the nasal passages to set up and cause an infection we call the common cold. This process of replication and spread into the nose takes some unknown period of time, likely related to how much virus you get on your face and how close it is to the nose. Swype will help if you use it to kill virus on the skin at the entrance to your nostrils (called “the nares”) before this process completes itself.

By this rationale, how long Swype stays on the skin probably doesn’t matter a whole lot.

Hearing it explained like this made a lot of sense. Swype isn’t like wearing a mask over your nose. You don’t need a fresh layer coating your nostrils all the time. You just need to apply it often enough to kill whatever virus happens to be on your face before it reaches critical mass and overthrows your immune system!

My Swype Experience.

I starting using Swype on 8/9/2011.

I used it 2x per day normally, and 3x per day when out in unfamiliar public areas. Everything started off well, but much like starting an exercise program, one busy day was all it took to throw me off. One missed Swype application got me out of my groove.

I got back into it the next day though. A big help was keeping the Swype tube near my phone, wallet, or lip balm – this way I’d always see it and remember to use it.

So as long as I didn’t forget about it, I had no problem fitting Swype into my routine. Hey, it’s much easier than flossing my teeth!

I’ve been using it 3x per day more often now that we’re entering cold and flu season, and I don’t have a reason to stop.

My Swype Results.

The most obvious result is that I went all of August and September without getting sick, even though I encountered a few sick people along the way. The second day I used it was my first of eight days out of town, and even though I went to a lot of new, public places, I made it out perfectly healthy.

Not that I usually get sick in August, but somehow I did come down with something this past July, and it lingered for over three weeks! So that was a motivation to use Swype from then on!

Then, just before Columbus Day weekend, someone brought a nasty cold into the house! Normally this spells disaster for me, but I took it like a champ this time!

On Sunday and Monday I had very slight symptoms of a cold coming on, then on Tuesday and Wednesday I didn’t feel all that great (and I needed some extra sleep.) But Thursday I was back to normal!

Then just this past weekend, I basically lived with two sick people for two days, and encountered quite a few other sick people in public. And now, I feel great, with no cold symptoms whatsoever!

I was rather impressed with that outcome!

My final verdict is…

Going for two months without getting sick doesn’t really prove that Swype works, but how quickly I fought off a cold earlier this month boosts my faith in it! It’s certainly enough evidence to convince me to keep using it. If it works as claimed, I think that it’s well worth the price tag (~ $52 per year.)

If you train hard year-round or are otherwise in position to get sick easily, I’d give Swype a shot.

Official website: www.SwypeForHealth.com

Trying to save some money on supplements, I grabbed a box of CVS AirShield during one of my shopping trips. This stuff is a lot like Airborne, but rather than being $8 per tube, it’s $10 for two tubes!

If you missed my Airborne review, here’s a quick recap of what this product is intended for:

Airshield is a supplement containing vitamins, minerals, and herbs, and it is intended to bolster your immune system. I use it if I feel a cold coming on, as well as on days where I’m around sick people.

Really, if I’m in any situation that could lead to a cold or flu, I’ll take some of this stuff!

Health and Ingredients

The ingredients in Airborne and CVS Airshield are nearly identical, so I am just going to go through the main differences…

In “Other ingredients,” there are a couple slight differences, but nothing significant. The only thing that stands out is that AirShield contains fish for some reason (significant if you have an allergy.)

In “Vitamins and minerals,” AirShield contains everything Airborne does, in the same amounts, but also contains Riboflavin (Vitamin B2.)

The “Amino Acid blend” is the same.

The “Herbal blend” is very close, with a different order of ingredients and just a couple herbal differences.

“Chinese Vitex” is the only herb in Airborne that’s not in AirShield. On the other hand, AirShield contains one thing not in Airborne – Arabinogalactan Extract (heartwood.) All I could find about Arabinogalactan is that is helps promote the growth of good bacteria essential for a strong immune system.

Practically speaking, the two products are the same.

Taste Test

The one flavor of Airshield I tried is Orange.

First, it is a neon yellow color that looks completely artificial. Unfortunately, it also tastes completely artificial. I didn’t think it was good at all! You also taste the sucralose.

I have to give Airborne the clear victory when it comes to taste.

Mixing

Mixing is simple. You just drop the tablet in a glass of water and wait.

You do have to wait about three minutes (not the 1 minute it says on the box) for the entire tablet to dissolve in cold water, but it dissolves well.

Does it work?

I have switched back and forth between Airborne and CVS Airshield, and both products seemed to work equally well.

While I can’t verify that this stuff has kept me from getting sick, it sure seems like it!

My final verdict is…

Since this stuff is relatively cheap and works just as well as Airborne, I will continue to take it on occasion. I prefer to order Airborne or Wellness Fizz from VitaCost.com, but if I run out and need something quickly, I’ll run to the local CVS and grab a box of this.

Official website: www.CVS.com

If you live a typical stress-filled life, have a less than perfect diet, or you encounter sick people on a daily basis, it’s pretty hard not to get sick. Add in an intense training regimen and it’s nearly impossible not to get sick at some point!

During my years of training intensely year round, I would always get sick. My immune system was just beaten down so much from the training that even a good diet and substantial rest couldn’t save me!

This past year, I became extremely fed up with being sick, so I decided not to get sick anymore! And when you decide something like that, you better be ready to put the effort in, because it’s not an easy task! So I did some research and decided to test out every possible product that could boost my immune system even slightly…

The first product I checked out was the Airborne Effervescent Health Formula, an “Immune Support Dietary Supplement.”

Airborne is a supplement designed by a school teacher (what profession is more susceptible to cold germs?) with the aim of preventing or lessening the symptoms of colds. It contains a blend of vitamins, minerals, and herbs to accomplish this goal.

There where two situations where I took Airborne:

1. If I woke up and felt like I was coming down with a cold.
2. If I was exposed to sick people and thought I could have picked up some germs.

Basically, if I thought there was any chance of getting sick, I would take some Airborne.

Ingredients

Curious what all is in Airborne? Here are all the ingredients…

First, the vitamins and minerals:

Supplement Facts:
Calories 5
Total Carbohydrates <1 g
Vitamin A 2000 IU
Vitamin C 1000 mg
Vitamin E 30 IU
Magnesium 40 mg
Zinc 8 mg
Selenium 15 mcg
Manganese 3 mg
Sodium 230 mg
Potassium 75 mg

Next, all the herbs:

Herbal Extract Proprietary Blend:
Maltodextrin, Lonicera (flower), Forsythia (fruit), Schizonepeta (aboveground parts), Ginger (dried rhizome), Chinese Vitex (fruit), Isatis (root), Echinacea (aboveground parts)

Many of those herbs have at least some connection to preventing or alleviating colds, whether it be clinical studies, tradition, or old wives tales.

Next, a few amino acids:

Amino Acids Blend:
Glutamine (as L-Glutamine), Lysine (as L-Lysine HCI)

Finally, the other ingredients:

Other Ingredients:
Sorbitol, Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Potassium Bicarbonate, Natural Lemon-Lime Flavor, Polyethylene Glycol, Mineral Oil, Sucralose.

The only real problem I have with Airborne is that it contains sucralose. I prefer to avoid all artificial sweeteners, and I highly doubt that sucralose helps my immune system!

Taste Test

Overall, Airborne doesn’t taste great, but it’s pleasant to drink. Emergen-C mixes faster and is tastier, but it’s just not the same thing. Airborne works well and tastes much better than cough medicine, so that’s cool with me.

My thoughts on the flavors are…

Lemon Lime – The lemon lime has a decent flavor, but it’s not great. It reminds me of slightly watered down 7-Up soda rather than lemon lime Gatorade.

Pink Grapefruit – The pink grapefruit is a pretty good, refreshing flavor. It is fairly realistic, but not overly tart or sour like some grapefruit flavors. It leaves a bit of an aftertaste but it’s not so bad.

Zesty Orange – Zesty orange has a pleasant smell, coupled with a good flavor. The taste is a little stronger than others, and it’s quite a natural flavor like a real orange. The effervescence gives it that “zest.”

This is way better than CVS Airshield orange flavor.

Very Berry – n/a

Mixing

Mixing is simple. You just drop the effervescent tablet in a glass of water and wait.

You do have to wait about two or three minutes (not the 1 minute it says on the box) for the entire tablet to dissolve in cold water, but it dissolves well. It will dissolve a little faster in warm water.

Does it work?

The big question is, “does Airborne actually work to prevent colds?”

That’s a good question! I tested these tablets over about six months, and in my experience, Airborne does work as promised!

I’ll be the first to admit that this could be a placebo affect. And it could have something to do with slightly scaling back my high volume of training as well.

But… I haven’t had a real cold since November 19, 2008. I had a few days where I was starting to feel “under the weather,” but Airborne took care of that and I felt fine the next day.

At the very least, you could probably use the herbs and vitamins to supplement your diet. Unless you’re allergic to one of the herbs or other ingredients, I think you’ll be better off taking Airborne than not taking it.

My final verdict is…

This stuff works, and I plan to continue using it. I would prefer something cheaper (Airborne is like $8 per tube) and without sucralose (I hate artificial sweeteners,) but the fact of the matter is, Airborne works for me.

If you’re sick of getting sick, I highly recommend this stuff.

Official website: www.AirborneHealth.com

Buy online: www.VitaCost.com