It’s that time of the year again: stuffy noses, sweater weather, and vitamic C pills as quick as you can pop them.
The flu season is upon us, and lucky I’ve come up with some quick fixes to your sickness!
You’ve heard the sniffles in the hallway, and the guy sitting behind you at lecture who seriously needs to blow his nose. Fall is a time when our bodies are trying to adjust to some major changes. Off the top of my head, international students are re-adapting to different climate types, stress levels are rising, and getting back into a routine from the summer time is always a struggle – whether this is your first time away from home or not. Your body responds to all these changes, whether you know it or not.
Your bodyreacts by shutting down.
When we face change, we don’t really stop to think about how we handle it. When we’re feeling under the weather, we may watch a movie, try to get some fresh air, or the most cliché: eat a ton of oranges. But what our bodies are begging for, is for us to listen to them. We only get one body so let’s learn how to treat it right. I’m going to list my 3 favourite ways when faced with sickness (specifically colds) and how to handle and manage it in a healthy way!
1. Drink up
The worst thing you can do would be to run off to Shoppers and buy cough syrup, chug it down and hope for the best. Read the ingredients, all it is, is a short term relief that isn’t really good for our body! Instead purchase some Oil of Oregano. It’s an herb based oil, that truly tastes like oregano (hey, anything’s better then Buckley’s. It’s in their tagline, even Buckley’s can’t pretend their stuff tastes good). Oregano contains chemicals that help reduce cough and spasms. Oregano also helps with your digestion system by fighting bacterial and fungal infections. All I do is put a drop or two in my water, or with some orange juice if you’re wary of the taste. In addition, emember water is the most beneficial thing we can put into our body, so bring a re-usable waterbottle around with you and limit your intake on alcoholic beverages or pop.
2. Take your vitamins
You’d be surprised by the number of people on average who don’t take any vitamins. They are crucial and so helpful to our body and minds. A staple Vitamin you should always have is your standard Multi Vitamin. You can get ones just for women, as the female body requires different nutrients such as iron, fish oils and calcium. Another important vitamin is the Probiotic. A Probiotic essentially helps your immune system by introducing healthy bacteria that can challenge and strengthen the immune system. In today’s society, we take so many antibiotics in over-the-counter solutions that we are not only killing the bad bacteria but the beneficial ones as well. Don’t be so quick to turn to prescription drugs, try taking a healthier, long-term approach and these 2 vitamins are a great start.
3. Breathe
When we are in a tense situation or experiencing high stress level, our bodies can crash on us. Take a couple minutes of your day to just connect with your body. Sit on your floor, sit back and just breathe, wipe your mind clear of all thoughts and revel in the silence. We don’t take enough time in our everyday routines to enjoy the present, spending too much time worrying about what happened yesterday or what assignment we have due tomorrow. Our minds are constantly going and our bodies can’t keep up. Find something that makes you happy, be it having a bath or drinking a big cup of hot chocolate. Self love is the best therapy.
Just remember that in these sick times, it’s best to be patient with yourself. Don’t get frustrated if it’s not a quick fix, treat your body well and it will love you right back.
Photo Sources:
http://www.tumblr.com/search/cersei%20drinking
http://www.thegloss.com/2014/04/30/culture/mean-girls-karen-amanda-seyfr…