Your nose drips. Your throat stings. Your forehead burns. You know what’s coming next. We’ve all had it: the common cold. But how to get rid of it? From the moment I notice the first symptom of a cold, I begin an endless ritual to get rid of it.
Let’s start with the basics. What exactly is a cold? In general, when your body comes into contact with germs, its natural response is to do whatever it can to expel them. The sinuses produce mucus to collect the bacteria. Some of it goes into the throat, which is why it hurts. You may feel weak because your body is working overtime to get rid of the germs. In some cases, you may have a headache. This is the body’s way of heating up the germs until they burn to death. Morbid, huh?
So here are just a few of the many ways to rid yourself of this nightmare.
Wash your hands!
Thoroughly! None of that “quick rinsing” stuff. Get the water as warm as possible without burning yourself. Then, get your hands soapy. Scrub them hard. Everywhere. Front, back, wrists, fingernails, etc. Scrub for a good solid twenty seconds. Then rinse them off. You should wash your hands before and after eating, after using a tissue, after touching animals, and after touching doorknobs, railings, phones, etc. If you can’t get to a sink, carry a bottle of hand sanitizer.
Tissues! Lots and lots of them.
I can’t stress this enough. You want to get all that gross stuff out of you as soon as possible. Also, moisturize your nose after every time you use a tissue. Seriously. You do not want a red, sore nose. If you have a fresh nose piercing (as do I), take extra caution not to reopen the wound. Gently hold the nose ring in place, and I suggest cleaning the wound with saline solution after using a tissue.
Tea!
I don’t care how much you hate it. Just drink it. When I was little, I always thought tea was insufferable, but I drank it anyway, because I wanted to get better. Try to avoid anything caffeinated, carbonated, or alcoholic. But tea with honey soothes the throat. Don’t drink anything cold though. Hot beverages burn those germs right out of your throat. Cold drinks irritate the throat. Orange juice, however, is the only exception (not even water), because you need your daily dose of Vitamin C! Fun fact: while warming the inside of your throat will make you feel better, you can also warm the outside of your throat by wrapping a heating pad around your neck.
Eat healthy!
I don’t care how much of a junk food nut you are. Just put it all down. All that sugar is no good and makes you feel sicker. Sweet foods will also irritate the throat. But, fun fact: eating a big marshmallow or two (no more than two) helps soothe the throat. Don’t skip meals, either. Feed a cold and feed a fever. Yes, I realize this is not the saying, but you need to keep your energy up!
No dairy products!
At all! They coat the throat and you’ll feel super gross.
Salt water gargle!
Yes, gargling water is unattractive, and yes, adding salt makes it taste worse. But it’ll help the throat, as long as you’re sure to use warm water, and don’t overload on the salt! Half a teaspoon is plenty.
Heat!
Keep yourself as warm as possible, so that you can overheat and kill that nasty bacteria! If it’s a rainy day, bundle up and bring an umbrella. Stay as dry as possible. Make sure to dry your hair if you plan on showering before you leave the house. Wet = cold and cold = sick.
Sleep!
Again, keep up your energy. Even all you night owls, such as myself. Get more sleep than normal; ten to eleven hours is best. Don’t sleep the day away, though!
Exercise and fresh air!
Yes, even if the air is cold, fresh air is always good, so long as you’re bundled up. As far as exercise goes, this means LIGHT exercise. Don’t overexert yourself. Keep your heart pumping and your blood flowing and your energy up.
Sterilization!
You will want to sterilize almost everything. After using a toothbrush, pour boiling water over it. Try to avoid using lipsticks, glosses, balms, and chapsticks. If you must use them, take a tissue and gently wipe off the top layer, then pour hot water on them. Make sure to thoroughly wash all utensils and dishware.
Bathe!
Showers are best, so that you aren’t sitting in a pool of dirt and sweat. Use hot water. The steam will open up your sinuses and the heat will roast the germs.
Socks!
Don’t let your feet get cold. They’ll hate you.
Bland foods!
Especially when you get stomachaches and nausea, bland foods will be your best friend. Yes, it is true that spicy foods help with stuffy noses. But they are absolute murder on the stomach.
Silence!
Okay, so I’m sure most of you don’t have the willpower to stay totally silent or can’t stay totally silent for one reason or another. That’s a bit much to ask. But keep talking and singing and humming to a minimum. It puts less stress on the throat.
Throat spray!
Something like Vicks throat spray works wonders to relieve pain. Unfortunately, having a numb throat is no fun, but it’s better than unbearable pain.
Of course, there are plenty more tips. The ones I listed are the ones I do and the ones I think help best. So hopefully, the next time you get a cold, these tips will help to reduce the length and intensity of the cold.
