Physical Health and Wellbeing

How to Quickly Fight Off a Cold

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Over the past few years, I have learnt several tricks for how to fight off a cold. These help to prevent it from hitting with full force and help me to get over it quickly. I still feel as though I am getting a cold several times a year, but thanks to these tricks, the symptoms either disappear before developing into a full cold, or they are a lot milder than they used to be, so they hardly affect my daily life – they are just a mild annoyance. If I do get a cold, it only seems to last 5 or 6 days at most, sometimes only 3 or 4. 

How to quickly fight off a cold

Oil pulling

Oil pulling is a technique for removing toxins from your mouth. You swish oil around in your mouth for around 20 minutes and it picks up dirt, bacteria and toxins, then you spit it out. I have been oil pulling for the past few years, and I find that I get colds less often, and they are milder.

Make a healthy drink

Add lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, ground turmeric, ginger and cinnamon to a mug. The proportions don’t matter, but the cider vinegar will be strong so you may wish to only use a small amount of that! Add a little cold water and stir. Top up with hot water. You can add agave nectar or honey to sweeten if you wish. This drink has a kick to it, but you can definitely tell it is doing you good! I immediately feel much better after having one of these.

Drink loads of fluids

I drink huge amounts of liquids when I have a cold. Otherwise, I find that I get more dehydrated than normal. I suppose we lose fluids when we blow our nose! Hot drinks are the best, even if it’s just hot water. It helps prevent my nose from getting blocked up.

Eat plenty of healthy foods

I find that my appetite increases when I have a cold, but I know this may not be true for everyone! But I generally feel better whilst eating, or just after eating. Hot, nourishing foods like soup are great, and so are spicy foods like chilli, as they will clear your nose out!

Take supplements

Taking multivitamins or supplements will give your immune system a boost that may help to fight off a cold. Zinc, magnesium, and vitamins C and D are known to be especially helpful for immunity. At the very least, taking a supplement may provide a placebo effect!

Get plenty of sleep

Get plenty of sleep and go to bed as early as practical. After a longer-than-normal night of sleep, I often feel refreshed and much better, and my symptoms are less.

Get fresh air and exercise

Go for a walk, or do an activity outdoors, even if it doesn’t seem appealing at first. Wrap up warm if it is cold outside! I remember having a cold as a teenager, and I had already arranged to go skiing on a dry slope with my friends. By the time I had finished on the slope, my cold had pretty much gone!

Keep warm

Your immune system works best when you are warm. Dress warmer than usual, wearing extra layers, including a scarf to keep your throat warm. At night, wear a jumper in bed, or add an extra blanket. Of course, you won’t need to do this if the weather is hot! Have hot showers and/or baths, and blow-dry your hair so that your head stays warm.

I hope these tips will help you to fight off a cold!

The next time you feel a cold coming on, take action early! Try these things, and see if they help you too.

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How To Quickly Fight Off A Cold

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