Frugal Cold Fighters

 

All of this  holiday gathering has left me sick. So I have begun my cold fighting routine and wanted to share what I have learned over the years. I used to be a preschool teacher. I was sick for four years. Yes, you read that right. I had one cold after another for FOUR YEARS. You could call me a cold expert. Here is how it usually works. You first feel the symptoms of the common cold about 2-4 days from exposure and the first 48 hours are the worst. The cold lasts 3-7 days. There are over 100 cold viruses and I think I have had about 95 of them. 

 

The most frugal approach to fighting a cold is to do nothing. Grin, sneeze, cough, and bear it and in a week you will be magically cured. According to commoncold.com, colds respond to placebo sugar pills. So, if you think something works, it might. Here are some ways to proactively rid yourself from this annoying virus.

If you want to treat your cold with over the counter drugs, stock up on cold medicines when they are on sale. Buy the medicine when it is cheapest and not when you are sick. Chances are you will get a cold sometime soon. Don't forget to check expiration dates.

Natural approaches work too and don't have any side effects. 

  • Get enough sleep.
  • Eat healthy and include warming foods like peppers, garlic, and ginger in your diet.
  • Breathe in steam to break congestion. Take a pot of water, place it on the stove and put in a few drops of eucalyptus oil, lavender, or rosemary. When it begins to boil take it off the burner, put a towel over your head, and inhale. Taking a hot shower will have a similar effect.
  • Take echinacea at the beginning of a cold.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so follow these steps to help reduce the risk.

  • The best advice I can give is avoid people who are sick. Steer clear of coughs, sneezes, and runny noses. Colds are transmitted by cold droplets from person to person or from touching something a person with a cold has touched. For example, if you are talking to someone on the phone and they are coughing and sneezing don't make plans to hang out later. Save the hugs, kisses, and handshakes for the healthy. 
  • We hear this all of the time but wash your hands. No really, WASH YOUR HANDS! With soap while singing happy birthday or counting to 30.  Skip the antibacterial soap. Regular soap is fine and will do the job. Wash your hands when you return home from running errands. Antibacterial lotion does not work on many of the cold viruses so use soap and water
  • Don't touch your face. Make a habit of keeping your hands out of your mouth, eyes and nose. Make it hard for those droplets to get into your body.
  • Keep a window open. Fresh air is good.

 I really hope you don't get sick but you probably will. What do you do when you get a cold?