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Recover from a Cold – Naturally

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As a college student, I get my colds in September. Everyone comes back to school, moves into the dorms, and we all get each other sick.
However, for the rest of the world, fall and winter are cold and flu season. You could binge on sugar-laden drugs, produce a ton waste with tissues, and then make your nose and sinuses feel better with chemical-laden creams. But I’m guessing you know what I’ll say about that?
Photo Credit: William Brawley via Compfight cc

Photo Credit: William Brawley via Compfight cc

Natural Cold Remedies

There are all sorts of natural remedies available to help you get through your cold. The following are tips that have worked amazingly well for helping my family and me get through our colds.
Give your immune system the best chance. Take care of yourself! Get plenty of sleep, eat well, and drink lots of water. When you are allowing your body to get enough rest, fluids, vitamins, and minerals, you will be table to heal that much faster! I find that drinking tea can also be extremely helpful for getting fluids and opening up my sinuses.
Take honey and cinnamon. I thought this sounded crazy, but with my last cold I though, “Hey, what the heck.” So I tried it. And my cold only lasted 2 days. The day after I got better, I went biking in the rain and still didn’t have a relapse. And if the effects aren’t as amazing on you, all you did was eat raw honey and cinnamon, which are good for you anyway! They are both anti-microbial and anti-viral, and I find it very soothing on my throat. Just mix about a tablespoon of honey and 1/4 tsp of cinnamon together. I just estimate on a spoon and eat it off of this. Do this twice a day until you feel better.
Try lymph drainage. This technique is incredibly simple, but makes me feel WAY better when I’m stuffed up. This can help clear the sinuses and shorten a cold. Learn more about facial lymph drainage and watch a video to learn the technique.
Exercise gently. Play this by ear. I find the gentle exercise, such as walking and yoga, helps me feel better. The increased blood flow helps my sinuses drain and I feel totally rejuvenated! However, do not push yourself. Exercise will only help if you feel it will help. If you are having trouble breathing, have a fever, or are exhausted, it is better to care for yourself in other ways and get some sleep. If you are up for it, though, try getting active!
Use a handkerchief. This is my sustainability plug. How many tissues do you use when you’re sick? A handkerchief is a much better solution! A large bandanna or two is sufficient for me, and I just throw them into the wash afterwards. Furthermore, handkerchiefs are less likely than tissues to have been bleached and treated with other chemicals. Depending on the fabric they can even be softer. As a result, handkerchiefs can be much less irritating on the nose.
Rub shea butter on your nose. Although handkerchiefs are less irritating, blowing your nose enough will still irritate it after awhile! The nose is a mucous membrane and chemicals should be avoided at all costs. Your favorite lotion may be helpful at soothing and healing the skin, but I find shea butter to be the best!
Diffuse essential oils. Experiment with which oils work best for you and your symptoms. Lavender and peppermint and be very good for respiratory support and soothing. Protective Blend is an essential oil blend that can also bring relief and prevention. Either follow the instructions on your diffuser, or if you do not have one, dilute the oils in a carrier oil and massage into the chest. Learn more about essential oils here.
What works best for getting you over a cold?

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