I’m sick…again…and every time I get sick, I feel like writing
about it because I can’t go to school, I can’t go to work, and what else is
there?! I thought about writing up a review for my last tart order, but I can’t
rightly smell anything. I thought I’d write up a haul, but I can’t remember
what all I ordered. I thought I’d write up a couple of DIYs, but again, I can’t
do much anything because this cold/sinus crap, whathaveyou, has got such a hard
hold on me.
So let’s revisit the past, shall we, and I’m going to write
up how to better survive these awful sicknesses going around this time of the
year. Let’s begin!
For starters, the very second you feel a cold coming on,
grab you come Coldcalm! Seriously! This stuff is relatively inexpensive for a
regular package (less than $10 at Walgreens with their Member’s Card) and it’s
all natural. I’m tired of shoving marked pills into my face, like I feel like I’ve
been doing for months now (all prescription, no worries). This holistic approach
helped ease the duration of my symptoms. My colds will last about a week; 5-7
days, usually, and this has shortened it to 4 days. I feel like tomorrow, I’ll
be off to a much better start.
Next, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. I cannot say this enough.
The gunk that’s coming out of your nose when it’s running, the ick you’re
coughing up, sorry, but replace this all with water. Juice is fine, too, and
tea, but make sure you’re alternating anything other than water with water so
that you stay hydrated. Also, a nonproductive cough is caused by dryness, and
this can be helped by staying hydrated.
Drinks I recommend include: tea, water, and all natural
juices. Any added sugars are going to “gunk” up your system, even more, so
maybe stay away from anything too heavily concentrated or laden with sugar. If
you can’t help that, cute it with water. I love herbal teas for anything illness-related.
There’s peppermint teas for morning time and lavender or chamomile tea for
evenings. These are easy to drink when you’re sick and can be sweetened with
honey. Honey is antibacterial and will be easy on a sore throat. Hydrating
lozenges or cough drops are good to have.
For coughing, I know this one weird trick, and don’t ask me
how or why it works, I have no idea. My mom used to put Vicks Rub on my feet at
night and cover them with socks. No mess and it made me stop coughing. This
works even now long enough for me to get to sleep. If I wake up in the middle
of the night and repeat the process, it still blows my mind by how quickly it
takes effect. True, it’s not the most pleasant experience, but it works. I can
see peppermint or tea tree oil working on the soles of the feet, as well, but
who knows. I also put a touch of Vicks on my upper lip, too, to ease congestion.
For other tips and tricks: prop up your head as you sleep to
allow sinus drainage. Yum, right? Sleep in a well-ventilated area, no open
windows, and I find that 70 degrees works best. Hm, what else? Oh, stay
hydrated and go to bed with a water bottle next to you. If you’re anything like
me, you’ll wake up and have the worst case of cotton-mouth with a side order of
funky breath and dry lips. Again…yum!
Let’s recap and I’ll add in a few other must-dos…
- · Drink plenty of fluids!
- · Eat with your medication; even just a little bit!
- · Stock up on Vitamin C!
- · Wash your hands like you’re being paid for it
- · Sleep propped up and in a good sleeping setting
- · Tea is awesome and good for you!
- · Vicks Rub + socks = no coughing fits!
- · Cough it up? Spit it out! (Yeah, sorry, but it works!)
·
Hot showers and hot baths are especially
comforting when you’re sick.
I am not a doctor and have no medical training, so I can’t
tell you what is right for you. But if you’re like me and can’t readily get to
a doctor or just want to fight off a simple cold for yourself, I’m behind ya! These
things work for me, so they may help you. Or they may not. I recommend a quick
visit to a local nurse practitioner; they’re well-versed in common colds. Stay
well, guys, flu season is upon us!