Chances are your nose is running like a waterfall or is stuffed up and making you breathe through your mouth. If you’re at the deep end of your cold, you’re probably sneezing and coughing, with chest congestion, a sore throat, a headache or more. Whatever the case, you need relief, fast. While there is no cure for a common cold, here are a few tips to get over your cold as fast as possible:
Up your vitamin C. Vitamin C won’t prevent a cold, but studies show that it is likely to reduce the duration of your suffering. Regular supplements can cut down a cold by up to 8% in adults and by about 14% in children. They can also reduce the severity of the cold. Be sure to limit your dosage to around 90 milligrams at most. Take too much and you might see mild side effects like headaches, heartburn, nausea or more.
Think about zinc. Zinc is a mineral that plays an important role in regulating immune function, which prevents infections such as colds and flu. Studies have found that zinc supplements are effective at reducing cold symptoms such as runny nose, blocked sinuses, coughing and sneezing by 33%.
Drink plenty of fluids. Fluids help keep your body hydrated, which helps fight off illness and infection, so drink plenty of water throughout the day when you feel under the weather — even before bedtime — to help flush out any lingering viruses from your throat or nasal passages. If you’re not happy with drinking just water, you could try other liquids too.
Beetroot juice, being high in dietary nitrate boosts the production of nitric acid oxide in your system, thereby reducing your risk of respiratory infections.
Hot teas like ivy leaf tea, chicken soup, and even herbal infusions like Eugica Cold & Flu will do well to loosen the congestion in your chest and nasal passages as well. The latter is safe for all ages above 3 years and works well to reduce the use of antibiotics.
When in doubt rest it out. When you’re suffering from a cold it is easy to get agitated and try many things to feel better. Of all the pills you pop, first pop the chill pill. Did you know that your body has a natural ability to fight when you are asleep? When you stop blowing your nose and allow yourself deep restful sleep, your body starts to make new immune system cells. Proteins known as cytokines are produced in order to fight infection and inflammation. This helps your immunity bounce back. Rest is recovery.
Sweat it out. A great way to beat the cold faster would be to get active. Find a sport you love and sweat it out. People who exercise regularly are less likely to catch a cold. In fact, research suggests that staying active nearly halves the chances of catching a cold. If your cold is accompanied by a fever, it’s best to avoid pushing your body.
Speed it up with salt water. Salt water gargling is a home remedy for getting rid of your cold faster. It’s not just an old wives’ tale; in fact, it’s one of the best ways to speed up the healing process.
The salt draws out the mucus and reduces inflammation in the sinuses and nose, which can help you breathe better. The salt also acts as a disinfectant and helps prevent infection by killing off germs in your mouth and throat. And because it’s an alkaline substance, it also neutralizes acidic bacteria that live on your tongue, helping them die off as well.
Opt for safer OTC medicines. While it’s not advisable to buy OTC medicines without a prescription, sometimes you may have to take the step. A good bet is to go for a safe, herbal alternative. Eugica’s Thong Xoang and Nozall are known to provide instant relief against allergic colds, rhinitis, itchy nose and more cold-related symptoms.
Avoid, avoid, avoid. There are a host of things you ought to steer clear of when recovering from a cold:
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth when coughing or sneezing because germs can spread quickly through these areas. Worse still, avoid hugging, kissing or shaking hands with other people.
Before you cough or sneeze, make sure you cover your mouth and nose with your upper shirt sleeve. Disinfect frequently touched surfaces, including toys and doorknobs.
Avoid drinking too much caffeine or alcohol because they have a dehydrating effect and rob you of your much needed sleep.
Avoid reaching for antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription. There are chances that they may have the opposite of the desired effect.
That’s it. You could try these measures to curb your cold and feel better sooner!
Tags: Cold, Cold remedies, Cold home remedies, Cold cures, Cold recovery Cold herbal remedies, Cold natural remedies
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/health/cold-flu/how-to-get-rid-of-a-cold-fast
https://www.prospan.com.au/chesty-coughs/5-ways-you-can-shorten-your-cold/
https://www.robitussin.com/cough-cold-center/does-zinc-help-colds/
https://vicks.com/en-us/treatments/how-to-treat-a-cold/how-to-stop-a-runny-nose
