It’s just an ordinary day; you awake and begin your routine as usual, but when you step outside you notice that the natural light is painful to your eyes, which are now beginning to itch. You sneeze. It hurts because your throat is sore. Uh oh, could it be? Yes. You’ve got a case of the cold virus.
Most people are inclined to rush to the drug store, purchase drugs, and take the drugs, without a thought otherwise. These over the counter drugs are cold medicines, which only treat the symptoms of your cold; they don’t address the cause, and though the promise of immediate relief from the wrath of pain and discomfort is almost too good to deny, some ingredients in cold medicines have been found to be damaging to certain organ functions of the body. Acetaminophen can cause liver damage when taken in large doses. Aspirin, too, has the potential to cause harm to the kidneys and liver; it has acquired a long list of side effects including stomach pain, heart burn, nausea and vomiting. Ibuprofen isn’t any better; side effects are similar to those of acetaminophen and aspirin. When sick and slightly delirious, most of us search for a knight in shining armor, that which will sooner than later rescue us from pain and discomfort. But cold medicines are just a quick fix to calm the symptoms of a larger issue which should be addressed by a different kind of care; below are some healthy ways you can learn to cope with your days of misery and illness.
Eat foods which are high in Quercetin, an anti-oxidant, anti-histamine, and anti-inflammatory found in blueberries, red onions, red cabbage, and grapes, and present in apples, (the saying ‘an apple a day’ bears a bit of truth after all). Vitamin C won’t hurt, but only in tremendous doses will it contribute to your body’s efforts to survive these uncomfortable days of phlegm and frustration.
Zinc helps in reducing the length of the common cold by attaching itself to the virus, preventing it from further infecting the healthy cells of your body. (Cold-EEZE makes a homeopathic lozenge that’s a yummy alternative to zinc powder or pills.)
Echinacea is an herb known to boost immune functions; a cup of Echinacea tea laced with honey while you are under the spell of the common cold is never a bad idea.
Consuming raw garlic produces a naturally occurring antibiotic agent within your system; it’s not peaches ‘n’ cream, but it’s great for treating common ailments.
Menthol acts to impress the sensation of ‘cold’ upon your senses in the same way a jalapeno impresses the sensation of ‘hot’ without there being an actual variance in temperature. Try a menthol drop or rub; its soothing effects are welcoming to any sufferer of the cold virus.
Cough; your body wants you to. Cough suppressants prevent coughing, which can lead to a nasty buildup of mucus in your lungs. Mucus needs to be coughed up; do your lungs a favor and indulge them in their attempts to clear themselves of unwanted gunk.
If your cold symptoms refuse to let you slip peacefully into a much needed night of rest, before you reach for a heavy dose of over the counter knock-me-out, try this: a drop of brandy diluted with hot water with a touch of lemon and honey. This is the perfect alternative to a PM cold medicine; you won’t wake up with a lingering feeling of drug induced drowsiness.
Anything else? Oh yes, get plenty of rest, and drink plenty of fluids. Sound familiar? That’s because it works! Just remember; avoid sugary substances (including fruit juices) and junk foods; these only overwhelm and thus hinder the efforts of the immune system by forcing it into overdrive; water and warm broths should do the trick.
Comments