One moment you’re going about your day, as always, the next moment you’ve got a tickle in the back of your throat. You think to yourself, “That was an odd cough. Where did that come from?” Next thing you know, you’ve got watery eyes, and you’re running for the tissue box. Yes—these are the early signs that you’re coming down with something. Don’t wait for your systems to become more depleted; this is the time to take action. Here are some things to remember, along with some natural remedies you may want to incorporate into your lifestyle for a short time, until you’re feeling better:
Fluids are your friend. When you feel cold symptoms coming on, immediately begin to increase your fluid intake. It’s better to drink herbal teas or fresh squeezed juice, not soda or bottled juices that have tons of sugar and other additives in them. As always, your best bet is pure filtered water. Keeping yourself hydrated is critical to your body’s ability to fight off infection.
“Bee” kind to yourself and treat your body with honey. Raw honey is especially good, as it is known to contain healing properties and fight off infection that traditional processed honey doesn’t. But if you don’t have raw honey, just a teaspoon of traditional honey in a cup of warm tea will sooth your throat and calm a cough.
Watch your diet. The citrus found in lemons, limes, or oranges contains vitamin C and A, essential in fighting off colds. Berries are high in antioxidants which boost our immune system, so eating strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries is just plain good for us. Garlic and ginger are more than just fantastic flavor enhancers; they’re great for staving off colds, decongesting, and keeping your sinuses open and clear. And as much as we hate to admit it, it has been scientifically proven that mom was right—chicken noodle soup does help cure the common cold. Eat up!
Natural supplements really do work and can be helpful in kicking a cold fast. Here are some of the more common and effective natural remedies: Echinacea, zinc, bioflavonoids, Oscillococcinum, and Vitamins A & C. You can find these products in your local health food store, vitamin shops, or even some of the larger grocery store chains.
Rest up and reduce your stress. When cold symptoms are setting in, it’s better to take one day off work to rest than to let your symptoms worsen, and have to take multiple days off to get better. Also, our bodies do their greatest healing during sleep, so don’t be afraid to sleep in, or nap as needed.
Likely we’ve all heard about these remedies before, yet every winter we scratch our heads and wonder what we can do to feel better. These are tried and true remedies proven to be effective. So don’t let those cold symptoms get you down. Fight back! Your best bet for reducing the effects of a cold are to act fast.