How to Survive a Cold
February 9th • Posted in Health
Flu and cold season is upon us and as if a full awful week of illness back in October wasn’t really enough, I caught another cold last week! I’ve spent most of my time feeling horrible and laying in bed, because if I get a cold I get it in full force (if you’re one of those that only get mild symptoms of colds, just know I envy you oh-so-much!) and during that time I did a lot of researches on how to survive a cold (basically shorten it + get better sooner) and I largely appreciated any blog posts or videos on the subject. So I thought, since researches have been done, I could share my tips and tricks on how to survive a cold or flu: if you’re feeling dreaful, your nose is aching and your eyes look as puffy as they could ever be, I totally, completely understand where you’re coming from.
Hopefully some of these tips will help you get through your cold or flu quicker – or just bring some relief! So here are my top 5 tips on how to survive a cold…
01 :: My mum shared with me her magic recipe for an all-natural homemade syrup (very similar to this one) great for cough or sore throat but also going hand in hand with any cold symptoms: boil a little bit of water, lemon juice, cubed ginger and a good couple of heaping tablespoons of honey until you get a nice runny syrup. It’s life-changing! Not only it tastes amazing, but it treats a sore throat after having only a few teaspoons of it. Store it in the fridge and take 4-5 teaspoons per day (also great in your teas!).
02 :: Talking about teas… remember to stay hydrated! Dehydration can make your illness worst but I know drinking when you’re ill is not the first thing that pops in your mind. Try preparing a few cups of tea per day: the only act of slowly sipping something hot will bring some relief! Take a water bottle with you, but instead of drinking directly out of it, use a glass to avoid germs proliferation in your bottle.
03 :: Open your window (when you’re not in the room!). Breathing good quality air it’s essential when you have cold, so remember to open your windows to let new air come in and add a humidifier in the room you spend most of your time in if needed.
04 :: Try some herbal cough drops to treat cough or sore throat, or some classic mints (mine are from Tiger and I’m obsessed!) if you are stuck with a blocked nose and really crave some relief (and to get back into breathing some sort of normal!). You can also create (or commision someone else to make them for you) your own herbal cough drops with honey and herb infusion!
05 :: With blowing your nose every two seconds, your eyes weeping all the time and your body’s fluids starting to lack (if you don’t drink enough!) your skin will start to feel tight and dry and annoying. Not to talk about the skin around your nose – you know what I mean! When I’m sick even my oily skin becomes dry and I want to put all kind of oils back into it. Maybe is not the wisest thing during the day since you touch your face all the time and moisturizers won’t even have the time to sink into the skin, but it’s a good idea to apply a good amount of a nicely moisturizing lotion before going to bed, that is the time when you most likely will leave your eyes and nose alone, so it can work its magic during the night. I like the Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion with Oatmeal for the face and any L’Occitane Hand Creams for my hands!
Would love to know about your home remedies as well!
And if you’re ill and stuck in bed, hope you can get well soon! x
