So you’re feeling under the weather – and it’s not getting any better. You’ve really come down with something this time, and it doesn’t seem to be letting up. You know that there is no way that you can go to work, but you feel guilty for even calling in sick. Maybe your boss doesn’t believe you! This post is all about how to recover from a cold.
Your immune system is battling a virus in your body, and while it’s doing its best to get you back in fighting form, you still feel awful. Doing day-to-day activities has become very difficult and all you can think about is returning to your old self as quickly as possible.
Sound familiar? We’ve all been here, especially when the weather gets colder. Winter seems to get the upper hand, despite how much we try to resist getting caught out. But don’t fear – if you’re looking for the fastest way to get over your cold, you’ve found the right place. Read on for more on how you can trump your illness this flu season!
The Best Things to do to Recover from a Cold
It might seem doom and gloom right now, but with the right steps, you can get better from your cold. Try the steps below and you might be surprised at how quickly you get better –
Drink plenty of fluids
When you have a cold, your nasal passages can get all stuffed up, making it difficult to get any air in or out. Fluids help loosen phlegm, while also making breathing easier and more comfortable.
If you’re not having any trouble with your swallowing, then you can drink as you would normally. However, it’s best not to try and chug your whole drink at once. Some good fluids that are good to try when sick are water, herbal tea, and clear broth soups. It is important to avoid liquids that contain large amounts of alcohol, caffeine, or sugar. These can irritate your throat or cause problems with your stomach.
Get Plenty of Rest
When you are sick, it is important that you take it easy and you don’t exert yourself. Resting allows your body to conserve energy, focus on healing itself and prevent secondary complications of infection. If you ignore signs of illness, the body will use up its energy reserves trying to fight off the infection. The common cold is a viral infection and the only way to get rid of it is to let the body heal itself. Resting at home in a warm environment will help you stay comfortable and allow your immune system to focus on fighting off infection.
The common cold can be accompanied by secondary symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, stuffy/runny nose, headache, fever, body aches, and fatigue. These secondary symptoms are your body’s immune response to the cold virus and will get worse if you ignore them. The fever associated with a cold can last around 3 days but usually subsides very quickly. You may feel very tired and lethargic, but as soon as your fever breaks you should start feeling better. It is important to stay hydrated and only take medications such as paracetamol if absolutely necessary. You can also use a humidifier to add moisture to the air and help relieve congestion.
Take a hot bath with epsom salts
Everyone loves a hot bath – but this time, it’s not just for comfort. When you take a hot bath, your pores open up as a response to the heat. As your skin is the largest organ in the human body when your pores open they can shed all of the dead skin, dirt, and bacteria that are present.
When you catch a cold, there is a lot of congestion in the nasal area – a hot bath is one of the best ways for this congestion to be alleviated. Using Epsom salts in your bathwater is one of the most beneficial ways to help with cold and flu symptoms. Not only does it soothe aches and pains, but the magnesium sulfate provides relief of blocked nose and congestion, which can help you to breathe more easily at night while sleeping.
By getting into warm water, your temperature will of course also rise. If a person has a fever, then it is common for their body to feel much too hot. By having a bath, you will be able to bring the temperature of your body right down. While this sounds like it would have the opposite effect, when the body is overheated, it activates mechanisms that help to lower your temperature.
Eat Healthy Foods to Boost your Immune System
Eating the correct foods can help to boost your immune system. This will make you able to recover from your cold much more quickly. This is precisely the reason why people tend to get sick during the winter and holiday seasons – their diet starts to become less healthy. It’s also often why people tend to get sick because they’ve been staying out late and drinking on weekends.
A person who is eating healthy will naturally be consuming large amounts of vegetables and other foods that are high in vitamins. Eating healthy also means eating more fruits, especially citrus fruits like lemons and limes. Citrus fruits will give the body the Vitamin C it needs to fight off any viruses that can cause a cold. Having said this, you should remember that it is important to eat healthy throughout the whole year, not just when you find yourself battling sickness.
The average person eats more unhealthy than they do healthy. Of course, there are also those lucky people that never get sick. It all depends on what the person is eating and how often they are eating it, as well as their other habits. A supplement can also help support the right balance of nutrients.
The best 5 Foods to Eat to Stay Healthy
- Salmon – A superfood for a good reason. It is very good for the body, especially the brain, and contains omega-3 fatty acids which are great for fighting viruses and bacteria
- Kale – This is full of Vitamin A, which is great for fighting off infections. It can also help to prevent cancer, so it’s definitely worth adding into your diet if it’s something you don’t normally eat
- Broccoli – It is another superfood. It is loaded with Vitamin C and many other useful nutrients that your body needs to stay healthy
- Bananas – One of the most popular fruits, but also one of the healthiest. They contain potassium, which helps fight off colds and coughs. They also contain vitamins B6 and C
- Ginger root tea – Drinking ginger root tea could help ease a cold. This great beverage can also give your immune system the boost that it needs
These foods should be added to every person’s regular diet – not just when they get sick. It is good practice to eat healthily throughout the year. You can also supplement with Ayurvedic herbs such as Licorice and Ashwagandha. Or try the GreenBox special recipe for an immunity boosting smoothie.
Stay away from people or places that can make you sick
It’s easy to end up sharing a space with someone who is also unwell, especially at home. With different bugs going around, you don’t know who’s got what. You also shouldn’t allow people to visit you, illness can be passed both ways. Try your best to avoid large crowds of people. There are a ton of germs going around, especially in the winter.
On a less obvious note, you should also avoid areas where there is a lot of dust and pollen in the air. These particles can irritate your nose and throat, making it harder to deal with your cold. If you work somewhere where there are a lot of irritants, it is important to wear a face mask to protect your lungs and respiratory system. A mask is a worthwhile investment and can be used not only when you are sick, but also when you are around other people who might pass something onto you!
Recover from a Cold
Getting a cold can really feel awful, and not being able to perform your best can be a real downer. Follow the steps above, and you’ll be able to recover from your cold as quickly as you got it. Just make sure you are eating healthy, get your vitamins, indulge in plenty of rest and you can recover from a cold in no time.
So what do you think – did we miss anything out? Let us know!
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