How many times have you had a cold and basically not been able function as a human? Yeah, well me too. I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be that awful! Here are some of the things I do to get back to feeling myself.
Depending on your symptoms, the easiest way can be to take Zicam dissolvable tablets. Take one tablet every 3 hours AS SOON AS SYMPTOMS START until they disappear and you’ll be golden.
Another quick fix is to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Alternate with green tea and water, or orange juice is always a great thing to drink too. If you’re not a huge fan of plain water, add cucumber and lemon slices to some ice water and let it sit for about an hour. Not only are you hydrating but also detoxing!
With my usual symptoms (a stuffy nose and itchy throat), I take a Sudafed- it HAS to be from BEHIND the counter (but the generic works just as well). The stuff on the floor won’t work. I also take a Mucinex to break up the nastiness in my throat. (This you can get from the floor.) I recommend almost doubling your fluid intake so that you don’t get all dried up from these two things. ALSO, those saline nasal sprays that seem crazy? Well, they’re great. Follow the directions on the bottle and blow your nose after you use it and I swear to you, my sinuses have never been clearer. Your head may feel a bit of pressure from all the drying and clearing, so take an Advil and you should be good to go!
My personal favorite cold remedy is definitely adding a mild cardio workout to the above steps. It seems so counter intuitive to workout when you’re sick, but sometimes it’s best to sweat it out! I’m telling you, it does wonderful things. (But… If you can’t breathe I would advise against this part.) Yoga is a great alternative, seriously!
THE MOST IMPORTANT SOLUTION IS SLEEP!!!! Your body needs rest. YOU NEED REST. YOU NEED SLEEP. GET THOSE zzz’s. Do I need to say it again? Ok, good! Do your work during the day like a normal person and try to get a MINIMUM of 8 hours sleep. If you can do that for 3 days in a row, you’ll be golden. If you don’t though, then these tips won’t help very much. Sleep is the key component.
Additionally, I know this may be difficult for most college students, but DO NOT CONSUME ALCOHOL. Contrary to “college kid logic,” alcohol does NOT get rid of germs. It upsets your sleeping patterns, which make your immune system weaker and will ultimately lengthen the time you’re sick. And if you do take those medicines, don’t drink. It will make them less effective and could make the side effects more severe.
If your cold does go longer than 14 days, you may have a sinus infection and you should definitely talk to a doctor. Disclaimer: I am not a doctor! READ ALL LABELS before taking medicines. Every body is different!