HEALTH + WELLNESS
Colds are not called common for no reason - they are rife throughout the entire year with adults catching between two and three annually , and kids picking up four or more , but they do tend to be more widespread throughout the winter months . Nothing can cure their sneezy , scratchy-throated , watery-eyed , zero-energy grip as they ’ re caused by hardy viruses , but some remedies might help ease symptoms and keep you from feeling dreadful .
WHAT WORKS ?
Drink plenty of fluids . Water , juice , clear broth or warm lemon water with honey all help loosen congestion and prevent too much fluid being lost , which can lead to dehydration . Avoid alcohol , coffee and fizzy drinks laced with caffeine as they can make dehydration and fatigue worse .
Sip warm liquids . Everyone knows chicken soup is a cure-all ( although we ’ re pretty sure the ‘ chicken ’ aspect is a comfort connection , so feel free to mix up your flavours !), so make sure you have a good stock of soup on hand , as well as herbal tea and warm apple juice , which can all ease stuffiness by increasing mucus flow .
Try honey . Honey may help coughs in adults and children who are older than age one ; try it in warm tea or lemon water .
Add cool moisture to the air . A cool-mist vaporiser or humidifier can add moisture to your home , which may help ease stuffiness . Make sure you change the water daily !
Soothe a sore throat by gargling with salt water . This will definitely relieve the dry , scratchy feeling – for a while at least . Dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in 250ml of warm water for anyone aged six upwards who ’ s struggling ; you can also munch on ice chips , apply sore throat sprays and suck on cough sweets for added relief .
Ease stuffiness with saline sprays . Saline nasal drops and sprays can be bought over the counter and are an effective way to relieve stuffiness . For small children , experts suggest putting a few saline drops into one nostril before using a bulb syringe to gently suck out that nostril , which is easier said then done with squirmy little people , but is a good last resort if they ’ re struggling .
Relieve pain with ibuprofen or aspirin . It ’ s all very well wanting to ward off your symptoms with mountains of garlic , turmeric and ginger , but viruses can really bed in , so if the going gets too tough , know when to wave the white flag and pop some pills to reduce your suffering .
WHAT DOESN ’ T WORK ?
Antibiotics . Try as it may , science has yet to find a cure for the common cold as it is a mutating virus with a very strong grip , which means that unlike bacterial illnesses it laughs in the face of antibiotics . They ’ re simply no help against cold viruses , so don ’ t ask your doctor for a prescription and definitely don ’ t use old antibiotics you may have at the back of your medicine cupboard . You won ’ t get well faster and you may end up feeling worse .
Vitamin C . Boosting your vitamin C levels won ’ t harm you , but it also won ’ t cure your cold once symptoms have started to show . That said , some studies have found that taking vitamin C before cold symptoms start may shorten how long symptoms last , but there ’ s no hard and fast way of qualifying this ; once you ’ re ill , you ’ re ill .
Zinc . Another unsubstantiated theory , some studies show that lozenges or cough medicine containing zinc may prevent a cold or shorten symptoms , while other studies show it doesn ’ t . Additionally , zinc can also have harmful side effects , the most frustrating of which is loss of sense of smell – and nobody needs to revisit that .
TRY THESE IMMUNE-BOOSTING TIPS
Germ-fighting foods The advice is simple , but we know it isn ’ t always easy to eat a plate of broccoli , carrots and kale every day no matter how nutritious it is . That said , it ’ s essential to try and eat as wide a variety of vegetables and fruits as possible - they ’ re packed with vitamins , minerals and antioxidants , and , where kids are concerned , early exposure to a broad range of different flavoured and textured healthy foods is said to ‘ train ’ their taste buds , helping them make better food choices later in life . At home , roasting veg with garlic , soy sauce , or ginger gives them a lot more flavour , and blending as many veg as you possibly can into a tomato sauce for pasta works a treat too .
Keep on top of tissues Dirty tissues left lying around are one of the main culprits when it comes to spreading common cold germs , so remembering to ‘ blow then throw ’ is important . When you cough , sneeze or blow your nose , the secretions that end up in your tissue are teeming with the virus that ’ s making you ill in the first place and they ’ re hardy too , surviving for at least 15 minutes on the fibres . When you leave a tissue for someone else to pick up , you ’ re increasing their susceptibility to infection , so throw away any used tissues and wash your hands straight away after blowing .
Be strict with sleep Not enough sleep can really knock the immune system so it ’ s crucial that you ’ re getting enough shuteye . Wonder-supplement magnesium is known as ‘ nature ’ s tranquiliser ’ and science suggests that the miracle mineral helps us not only fall asleep initially , but stay asleep too as it improves the balance of hormones and neurotransmitters in the brain . Great magnesium-rich foods include pumpkin and sunflower seeds , fish , leafy green vegetables and avocado ; a calming , pre-bed snack of yoghurt and banana is also a good choice .
Vit D is key Getting enough vitamin D ensures adequate absorption of calcium for our bones ( hugely important when kids are growing ), but also helps keep the immune system functioning normally and well . The lovely warmth of sun on our skin is a central source of vitamin D during warmer months , but levels naturally drop when the days get shorter and darker , so besides a diet rich in salmon , eggs and cereals , a daily supplement can help here too .
THE MAIN TAKEAWAY ?
Rest . Your body needs rest to heal , so rest , rest and rest some more . Although colds go away on their own eventually , they can make you feel awful , so although you may want to scour the internet for ‘ cures ’, the best relief comes from taking care of yourself and resting until the pesky cold gives up of its own accord . www . insidekent . co . uk • 157