I sneezed the other day at work and instead of a courteous ‘gesundheit’, when I turned around, the room had practically cleared out. I had to convince my coworkers I was in fact not coming down with the plague and the unidentified something that was going around the building.
Cold season is officially upon us. So if you do feel that itch in your throat or a constant sniffle, here are seven natural ways you can nip that cold in the bud.
Sleep
One of my favorite activities is one of the most powerful tools for you to fight off a cold. Glorious sleep. Getting plenty of rest improves your immune system and as you move through the different phases of sleep, your body regenerates, restores, and detoxifies.
Drink A Lot of Water
Yes, water is best despite your friend’s certainty that alcohol is sure to kill all the germs. Drinking water helps with a sore throat and stuffy nose breaking up the congestion. If you’re still struggling with a stuffed up nose, try a Neti Pot which excels at irrigating your whole nasal cavity.
High Amounts of Vitamin C
Vitamin C helps boost the immune system and can shorten cold symptoms. The trick here is to take high concentrated doses of Vitamin C IMMEDIATELY when you feel the symptoms coming on. Once the cold is full-blown, unfortunately, Vitamin C won’t be of much help.
Relax
When you’re not feeling well is especially the time to slow down and take care of yourself. A little extra self-care will go a long way. Stress sets off a whole slew of chemicals in your body that works against your immune system. Try bringing your stress levels down with meditation which is an exceptionally all-powerful and effective way of destressing and listening to what your body needs.
Eat Garlic
I’ll resist the urge for corny vampire jokes. Garlic is a remarkably powerful agent at fighting off a cold. With antibacterial and antiviral properties, garlic helps bring balance back to your internal microbiome. Be sure to crush or chop the garlic and let it sit for a while in order to activate the compound allicin, which boosts your immune system.
Plenty of Raw Honey
Like garlic, raw honey contains both antibacterial and antiviral properties that helps strengthen and boost your immune system. You can eat it by the spoonful or put some in hot tea where it will help soothe a sore throat as well.
Sweat it Out
Head off to the sauna for a good schvitz. A high heat environment like a sauna is too hostile for bacteria to survive and can help fight off your cold. You’ll sweat out toxins and the extra moisture will help soothe a dry and sore throat and nose. If you don’t have access to a sauna, preferably an infrared sauna which operates at a less harsh temperature, take a hot shower to create a similar steamy environment.
