Are you a sneezing, coughing, headachy mess? We’ve all been there. The common cold is, as its name implies, common. These little bouts of sickness come around to most people a couple of times a year. Colds are essentially small viruses that affect the upper respiratory system. There is no known cure, but there are plenty of ways to quicken healing and relieve those yucky symptoms.
- Make Honey Lemon Tea. Fill a mug with hot water. Squeeze the juice from half a lemon into the mug, add one tablespoon of fresh honey, and stir the ingredients together. Drink when the liquid comes to a drinkable temperature but is still warm. The warmness of the lemon honey water will soothe your throat and cut through any uncomfortable mucus. The lemon provides vitamin C, which your body needs in order to heal itself quicker, and the honey comes in as a natural cough suppressant. This is also a great way to get more fluids into your body while strengthening your immune system. Prepare this tea several times a day throughout your sickness.
2. Drink plenty of water. Getting lots of fluids through your body helps flush out any excess toxins, thus quickening the healing process. Staying hydrated can also relieve headaches. While you are sick, try to intake two liters of water a day. You can also get more liquids by eating soup or drinking the honey lemon tea mentioned above.
3. Try steaming.
Fill a pot with boiling water, position your head over it, and breathe in the steam through your nose. This method clears up congested sinuses. Feel free to add a few drops of eucalyptus oil, if you have it on hand. Eucalyptus specifically helps treat inflammation and respiratory infections. Just don’t get too close to the boiling water!
4. Gargle with warm saltwater.
If you have a persistent tickle in your throat, gargling salt water can help bring relief. Dissolve one teaspoon in a cup of warm water and gargle away. Repeat several times a day, or as needed.
Get some sleep. When your body is fighting a virus, it needs all the energy it can get to conquer the terrible bug. This gives you the sensation of feeling drowsy or tired. It’s your body’s way of slowing you down so that it can focus on the healing process. Listen to your body’s messages and resist the urge to be active. You will only end up feeling worse and you might need a longer amount of time to heal. Make sure that you are getting at least eight hours of sleep during the night, and lay down during the day if you are not feeling well.
The common cold can make even the healthiest and happiest person miserable. You can’t cure it, but you can relieve many of the uncomfortable symptoms with natural remedies. Resting and filling your body with the necessary vitamins will help strengthen your immune system as if fights off the virus.
