While you may have been proud of all the tallies on your arm on Sunday morning, there is often a price to pay when you swap spit with randos during the infamous Pledge Night, a.k.a. Kiss Night. You may have been floating Cloud Nine after you hooked up with that hot new pledge, but a knot in your throat and a stuffy nose a few days later can quickly squash the excitement.
Spring semester offers so many weekend activities, and you do not want to miss out because you’re sick. Here’s a guide on how to cure that cold by using the best and most proficient remedies. With these tips, you’ll be able to make it through the day much more easily, without wanting to fall asleep in class.
The Stuffy Nose
This is possibly the worst part of the common cold. Not only can your nose become runny, but a lot of pressure can build up in your sinuses, causing headaches and other pains.
For this ailment, I recommend a Neti Pot. Neti Pots are small plastic teapots that relieve nasal congestion. You first fill the pot with saline solution and warm water and then pour it through one nostril using the spout of the pot. The solution runs through your nasal passage and out the other nostril. While you may be puzzled, or even cringing, at the thought of this, I have personally found this product to cut colds in half! The saline gets rid of any bacteria in your nose and flushes out excess mucus that has clogged your sinuses. Neti Pots, depending on the brand, are about $15 at any drugstore and are a great investment.
Certain foods can also help you get well soon. Hit up Ishi or Sakura for some miso soup, which can help sinus problems or headaches. Cooked vegetables are a great way to cleanse your system and staying away from foods that have a lot of fat and oil in them is a must!
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The Sore Throat
To stop the pain you experience each time you swallow, stick to warm liquids. Drinking cold liquids will cause your throat to swell, which will only make the throbbing pain worse. Tea is your best bet as far as drinks go. Try some Lemongrass tea or some Green or Refresh (peppermint) tea with honey from Starbucks. Soup and oatmeal are also great on a sore throat as is gargling with warm salt water 3-4 times a day.
A key ingredient to beating colds is ginger because it aids digestion, cleanses the system, and soothes the throat. Below is a recipe that will cure all cold symptoms! It is made with ginger, and requires just a simple trip to a grocery store.
Here is a natural recipe that some nutritionists recommend for healing sore throats:
HONEY ONION GINGER SYRUP
1 large onion
1 lemon, sliced with peel on
2-3 inches of sliced ginger root
Sprinkle of cayenne pepper
1-2 cups honey
Place onion, lemon, ginger and cayenne in a large pitcher or bowl, then fill it with honey, cover it, and place it in the fridge. After a few days you can start using the syrup – just take a spoonful and mix into a mug of hot water. This soothing remedy is used to help break up congestion from colds and the flu, and heal sore throats and coughs.
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The Cough
You don’t want to be that awkward kid in the library atrium coughing while surrounded by complete silence and glares from hardworking Deacons, nor do you want to lose precious sleep because you stayed up all night hacking. One of the most important things to do is to stay away from dairy. This means: ice cream, cheese, cream cheese, milk, and yogurt. Why? Dairy products cause mucus to build up in your throat and cause coughs to worsen. They can contribute to sore throats as well. Taking a few spoon-fulls of honey with a couple drops of lemon juice can also help a cough because it coats your throat in the way that cough syrup does. Most important? HYDRATE.
Overall, to beat the Kiss Night cold, you need to rest. If it means sacrificing a night or two of parties to catch up on sleep, it is best to do so. And your body with thank you in the end! Unfortunately, kisses can come with consequences, but there are easy ways to help heal the symptoms. Stay healthy collegiettes!