When it comes to cold remedies, I have learned to favor the more natural treatments as opposed to synthetic ones. This is mostly because once I have read an account with how our immune system works. According to what I have read, our immune system could eventually get used to the medicines we use when we are treating the flu. That is why from a small dosage, we find ourselves requiring more and more until such time that we realized that the cold remedies we buy straight from drug store shelves are no longer effective. This fact I considered a major concern for myself. After all, if medicines no longer work, such scenario poses various threats to my personal health.
Especially in my case, I am always out of the house due to work related errands as well as personal commitments. That said I am always around people who may or may not be virus carriers. There was a time when my immune system was so weak I would always find myself suffering from either a cold, flu, or both. During those times, I have learned natural means in treating the flu as well as cold remedies one could easily find in the kitchen. Here are some of those cold and flu treatments I have discovered through both online references and from suggestions of friends and family.
Fluid Intake - This is perhaps one of the most popular suggestions I got from friends, families, and of course the internet. Fluid intake can be in the form of water, fruit juices, vegetable juices, ginger ale, herbal teas, sports drinks, and even chicken broth or soup. If you want to strictly adhere to water intake, you have to make sure that you get at least 8 ounces on a daily basis. Fluid intake according to my research is said to alleviate congestion through proper rehydration. Also, caffeine should be avoided because it is considered as diuretic which could further exacerbate dehydration.
Steam Treatment - This may be a bit odd for some people but this has actually proven quite effective based on my personal experience. When fluid intake is not enough, I would usually resort to steam treatment. This is actually quite easy to carry out. You just have to boil water and then inhale the steam it produces. This treatment is best for eliminating nasal congestion and is also an effective way in treating the flu virus.
Blow your nose - It can be a bit of a nuisance sometimes but if you are under a severe cold attack, this is truly one of the most effective cold remedies out there. Whenever I have cold, I make sure to blow my nose as often as possible. According to one health account I have read, this allows virus and other bacteria accumulated in the mucus to be released hence allowing the alleviation of cold. The best approach to removing nasal mucus without irritating your ear or giving you headache is by pressing one of your nostrils while blowing lightly to unclog the other nostril.
Salt water - This is another easy to make treatment for cold. You just have to mix in salt with warm water and use the mixture to rinse your nose. This treatment is effective in eliminating nasal congestion. If there is one thing I have learned from being quite sickly in the past is that prevention is totally better than cure. After all, why worry yourself with ways on treating the flu when you can actually prevent it from happening? There are many ways to make your immune system stronger and I am a living testament to this.
What I did were simple lifestyle improvements. First, I decided to observe a healthy diet. Aside from protein and calories, I made sure to get more fruit and vegetable produce in my system. Also I started exercising. This combination of healthy diet and regular physical routine allowed my body to improve its various functions which in turn led to the improvement of my immune system.
There are only two important things critical to improving ones health through lifestyle improvement. These are patience and discipline. Patience helped me go through regular exercise whereas discipline allowed me to patronize only those products and supplies that would improve my health quotient.
In the end, your worry should not be about what
cold remedies could work but instead, what lifestyle choices would serve you best in the health department.
