We’re all human, which makes us susceptible to the common cold. No one feels good with a runny nose, the chills, and the fatigue that accompanies this virus. While there is no cure, there are steps that you can take to hurry along the recovery process and alleviate your symptoms so you can function and show up for your daily activities. The first thing you need to do in 2022 is to ensure that you are dealing with viral rhinitis and not a COVID 19 variant. Once that’s established, scroll on to read about ways to help your body recover as quickly as possible.
You wake up and start sneezing over your morning coffee or tea. By mid-afternoon, your nose is runny or stuffed, your head hurts, and all you want to do is curl up on the couch with your iPad and cozy blanket. You know something is going on, but you need to determine if what you have is a cold or the flu. Both are upper respiratory viruses and often have overlapping symptoms.
The Difference Between Cold & Flu Symptoms
The most common Flu symptoms are:
- Fever
- Chills
- Muscle aches, joint pain, and tiredness
- Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
The most common cold symptoms are:
- A runny or stuffed nose
- Frequent sneezing
- Sore throat
- Coughing
- Headache
- Overall tiredness
Although the cold and the flu share some symptoms, they are very different. The flu tends to have a quick onset of symptoms and is highly contagious, whereas a cold can creep up on you and is easily prevented from spreading by hand washing and keeping a distance from others. Another significant difference is that people with compromised immune systems can end up in the hospital due to the flu, which is rare with a cold.
Preventative Approach
The best thing to do during the cold season is not to catch one. So let’s go over some preventative measures that you can take to ward off this virus:
- The herbal supplement echinacea was proven to be preventative in reviews conducted in 2018. Echinacea is not recommended for people who suffer from any type of autoimmune disease.
- Beetroot Juice is another herbal supplement that has proven capabilities to help prevent the common cold due to its’ ability to increase the body’s production of nitric oxide.
- Getting enough sleep. When the body is well-rested, it boosts the immune system. A strong immune system can fight off many common viruses with ease. Make sure to clock a minimum of 6 hours a night to see the benefits of sleep and your health.
Cold Remedies
Sometimes, even if you try to be vigilant and do everything to prevent catching a cold, you still find yourself reaching for meds and a box of tissues. So what’s the best thing to do to shorten the life of a cold? Here’s a list of some cold remedies that work and some that can’t hurt:
- Staying hydrated will help alleviate some of the symptoms that you experience.
- Use a vaporizer to put moisture in the air to help alleviate the stuffiness and congestion.
- Over-the-counter medicine can alleviate symptoms all together for a few short hours.
- Large doses of Vitamin C have been shown to lessen the length of a cold
- A teaspoon of raw honey can ease a scratchy throat
- Taking a Zinc supplement has been proven to relieve cold symptoms
- Plenty of rest will help shorten the life span of your cold. Now is the time to binge-watch your favorite series on Netflix.
Whether you’re interested in improving your overall health or have a cold and want to get over it fast so you can get back to your daily life, schedule an appointment at Longevity Care Clinic, where we offer IV Drip Therapy to shorten the life of your cold and improve your overall health!
