With the recent fluctuations in the weather, it’s not surprising that many students have come down with colds. One could even say that the campus has already become a winter wonderland with all the white tissues around. Your cold doesn’t have to be something you just suffer through.
Here is a list of tips that can help you relieve you of your symptoms. There may not be a cure for the common cold, but there are a variety of ways to expedite your recovery and make the process more bearable altogether.
As soon as you have the slightest inkling that you feel a cold coming on, there are steps that need to be taken immediately. Common indicators of an imminent cold include sore throat and a stuffy nose. Once you start experiencing such symptoms, be sure to increase your water and juice intake, as this will help alleviate your symptoms.
Gargling with salt water may sound like an old wives’ tale, but it is effective. Try and add half a teaspoon of salt to warm water. “The salt draws out excess water in your throat’s tissues, reducing the inflammation and clears mucous and irritants from the back of your throat,” said Dr. Philip Hagen, the Medical Editor-in-Chief of “Mayo Clinic Book of Home Remedies.”
Taking a warm shower is especially important when suffering from a cold. The warm moisture aids in clearing your nasal passages. Another effective method of clearing your nasal passages is using a saline nasal spray.
Over-the-counter cough medicines are unnecessary. According to Dr. Harley Rotbart, professor and vice chairman of pediatrics and infectious diseases at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, honey is just as effective as over-the-counter medications. Simply add two tablespoons to a cup of tea or eat it straight off the spoon.
Maintaining a healthy diet can also help you on the road to recovery by boosting your hardworking immune system. Include protein in your diet by consuming foods such as beans, fish, lean meat, brown rice and fresh vegetables replete with antioxidants.
Warm liquids, such as chicken noodle soup, do help relieve cold symptoms. Not a fan of chicken noodle? Other delicious options include miso soup and hot and sour soup.
Suffering from the common cold is never a pleasant experience, but with the aforementioned tips, you should be feeling better in no time. Also, it is important to remember that colds are most contagious for the first few days, so be sure to steer clear of your friends. And if they do happen to also become sick, you’ll have plenty of useful tips to help them out!
