In today’s post-pandemic world, every cough, sniffle, and sneeze is an instant cause for concern. But most of these symptoms are nothing more than the “harmless” common cold.
Still, a cold can have you down and out until the germs run their course and leave your body, making it just as “common” for those who are sick to seek out every possible remedy.
One thing the COVID virus has taught us, which also applies to basic colds, is that the best way to kick an illness is to boost your immune system. Technological advancements, like home IV options and high-quality supplements, make this easier than ever before.
With so many products on the shelves and online claiming to be “cures” for the common cold, it can be hard to tell what works and what doesn’t. In this blog, we’ll share 9 research-based things that may give you an edge as you fight against the viruses that cause colds.
1. Hydration is Key
Colds usually run their course within one or two weeks. In the meantime, you may not feel like eating or drinking. However, staying hydrated with water and clear liquids helps you minimize the symptoms and flush the germs out of your body faster. Dehydration increases your body’s problems, such as blood pressure and heart rate issues, weakness, and kidney damage. When you can’t handle eating or drinking, consider home IV fluids to help you avoid the dangers of dehydration.
2. Listen to Your Body
Do you feel sleepy and lethargic? Does it seem like all you can do is sleep? When your body seems to be begging you to rest, listen to it. You may want to push through the day and work or stay busy, but you’ll recover faster by resting. In the long run, a couple of days of sleep can save you from weeks of lingering symptoms.
3. Manage Your Sore Throat Symptoms
Part of what gets us down so hard with a cold is the pain of a sore throat. Swallowing triggers the discomfort, making eating and drinking a chore. Try gargling with saltwater rinses or sucking on a honey stick to ease your inflamed throat long enough to enjoy a meal. Throat sprays, cough drops, and hard candies can do the trick.
4. Moisturize the Air
Breathing dry air can increase the rate of dehydration in your body, worsening your symptoms. Using a vaporizer or humidifier that emits cool air through light misting reduces stuffiness and helps your skin stay hydrated.
5. Manage Your Pain Symptoms
Some people push through their pain, either because they think it makes them weak to take medication or because they don’t want to use chemicals in their bodies. However, managing your pain meds with over-the-counter options like ibuprofen or acetaminophen allows your immune system to fight the germs without worrying about managing your aches and pains.
6. Boost Your Vitamins
The human immune system is strengthened by vitamins and minerals from external substances like food. When you have a strong immune system, it can fight viruses more easily. But when you’re sick, this nurse part of your body can use a little extra help. Boost your diet with foods high in vitamins A, C, D, and E and zinc. If you can’t eat a balanced diet, home IV options can help here, too.
7. Get Fresh Air
Nature is often the best remedy for what ails you physically and mentally. Spending 10-15 minutes a day outside in the fresh air, even if you’re only sitting in a chair, may improve your recovery and your mood.
8. Avoid Unnecessary Stress
Finding ways to feel peaceful instead of anxious reduces the stress hormones your brain releases. These chemicals increase the inflammation response in your body, which can make your symptoms feel worse. Instead of being worried about all the things you can’t do while you’re sick, take this chance to rest your body and know that when you’re feeling better, you can catch up on what you missed. Worrying about your to-do list while you can’t tackle it will only make your recovery longer.
9. Keep Up with Your Hygiene
You may not want to do the basic things, like showering and brushing your teeth, but keeping up with your hygiene while you’re sick reduces the spread of germs. Wash your hands, brush your teeth, and try to take a shower or a bath daily. You’ll feel better mentally and physically.
