The sneezing, sniffling and hacking currently sweeping through the lecture halls indicates that winter is not going anywhere just yet. It might only seem like a matter of time until you join the sonata of sneezers and coughers, but with a few helpful hints from Her Campus Mizzou, you might be able to stay healthy against all odds!
Eat yogurt
No need to feel guilty about your frequent visits to Red Mango or Yogoluv. It turns out that creamy delicious yogurt might actually help you keep away a bad case of the sniffles. According to Charles B. Inlander, the president of The People’s Medical Society, “some studies suggest that the beneficial bacteria found in yogurt may stimulate production of immune system substances that fight disease.” In fact eating one serving of low-fat yogurt daily reduces the appearance of colds by nearly 25 percent. Does this include double-dutch fudge frozen yogurt topped with crumbled Oreos and gummy bears? I’d like to think so.
Get steamy in the sauna
A German study determined that people who logged sauna time twice became ill 50 percent less than those who did not. Some theorize this phenomenon is caused by the inability for viruses to survive and reproduce in the warmer than 80 degree temperature in the sauna. Even a sweltering shower will suffice, according to Men’s Health editor Jeff Csatari. The key is to keep your nasal passages nice and mucous-y to prevent viruses from entering through your nose and attaching to the dry nasal walls.
Spice up your life
Spices have been used for thousands of years to remedy common ailments. Spices like ginger have been used throughout history to heal upset stomachs and inflammation. Adding crushed cayenne pepper to tea or broth can clear congested nasal passages. Medical research conducted by the Cochrane Collaboration discovered that a zinc supplement might shorten the intensity and duration of a cold as a result of zinc’s natural antiviral properties. So the next time a cold puts you on your back, head to the spice rack instead of the medicine cabinet.
Eezy breezy
I completely believe in the magic healing powers of the cold remedy Cold-Eeze. It comes in lozenge or liquid form and is infused with little ninja zinc ions to fight off your cold. Too good to be true? My sentiments exactly. However my parents kept praising the miracle properties of the seemingly generic cough drops, so eventually I broke down and tried them myself. Not only did the Cold-Eeze lozenges make my present symptoms disappear, but a cold that I had pegged to stick around for the long haul dramatically improved. Take Cold-Eeze at the very first sniffle, and I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the results.