It’s ~fall season~ folks, which means a lot of things – pumpkin spice lattes, scary movies, warm sweaters and for some of us (spoiler alert, it’s me) it means allergies and sickness. I have seasonal allergies, which means Spring and Fall are designed to kill my sinuses and eyes. In the Spring, it’s pollen, and in the Fall, it’s mold.
This article was inspired by my week-long sickness (which, after arriving at the clinic, turns out to just be allergies!) and the little things I’ve been doing which make being sick/having allergies all the little bit better. So, sit down folks, grab a cup of tea and some cough medicine, and use some of these tips.
1. Eat citrus. Drink citrus. Just like, become an orange.
Citrus, or Vitamin C, really helps your immune system. So, if you’re sick or if you have allergies, eat or drink stuff that is high in Vitamin C. These are things like oranges, grapefruits, mangoes, strawberries, and broccoli. Fill up your stomach with these foods, and you’ll be well on your way to getting better.
2. Take medication! Allergy meds, Nyquill, Dayquill–whatever floats your boat.
Medication is super important if you’re sick. If you’ve actually been prescribed antibiotics, please take them. If you have allergies, please take allergy medication. My personal recommendation is Allegra or Allegra-D, as that is what works best for me. If that doesn’t work best for you, investigate which medication works best for you. Also, if you’re someone who deals with congestion (like myself), I would highly recommend Flonaise. (It’s been a lifesaver for me).
3. Drink lots of water!
Fluids. Drinking water (or anything, really) is so good when you’re sick. Your body is hard at work fighting infection, and it needs more fluids. These fluids will also help you get over your sickness faster. This is because the more you got to the bathroom, the less sickness inside you because it literally gets flushed out.
4. Binge watch a show you’ve been dying to see!
If you’re really sick and have to miss class, binge watch a new show! Hit up Netflix or Hulu. If you have neither of those, explore YouTube and either catch up with a favorite YouTuber or find some new faves.
5. Sleep. Rest. Your body needs to fight.
The last, and arguably most important step is rest. Take a nap, try to fall asleep earlier, do whatever works best for you. Try not to do super extraneous things and make sure to sleep a lot. Your body is fighting super hard to make you feel better, and sleep is the best thing you can do for it.