I feel like I have a reputation to uphold. I only get sick once or twice a year. When I feel a cold coming (or in the case of this week a sinus infection) on I refuse to go down without a fight. Take a few tips that I use myself as well as some from health.com to stop a cold in its tracks. (Or at least keep it as short as possible)
Whenever you begin to feel sick- scratchy throat, achy body, nasal congestion- follow these steps to begin your fight:
1. Start drinking lots of water. Water will help keep you hydrated and a scratchy throat moist. The water will help flush out germs that are getting in your body. Drink juices with lots of Vitamin C and Zinc, but avoid too much excess sugar.
2. Gargle with a salt water solution. I have also gargled with a little lemon juice mixed in water. The acidity of the lemon juice helps break up mucus caught in your throat. I've achieved good results with this.
3. Get any draining mucus out of your nose. Use saline nasal sprays to keep nasal passages moisturized and help break up congestion. Even consider using a Neti Pot, which flushes out mucus by running water through your nostrils. For a red dried up nose, rub a little Vaseline on the bottom of your nostrils.
4. Eat as many fruits as you can. I really stock up on the fruit smoothies on days I am beginning to feel sick. I want to get as many vitamins into my body as possible. In addition you may take a Vitamin C supplement as well as Zinc to give your immune system all the help you can.
5. Keep your body warm. Make sure you are wearing enough clothes to keep your body temperature up to help it fight off infection. I've even been told that you should be sure and keep your neck warm when feeling ill. Not sure how it works, but wearing a scarf has helped me.
6. Drink hot tea with honey and lemon. The honey is anti-bacterial which can help rid your body of germs, plus can help coat a sore throat. The lemon juice again helps clear mucus and it a good source of Vitamin C.
7. Take warm showers or baths to help break up congestion with steam.
8. Rest as much as you can. Come on you deserve it! It make take a few days off laying a bit low to prevent even more days of never being able to leave your bed.
9. Get a little light exercise. By no means go to the gym and sprint one mile. A nice gentle walk or a little light yoga or stretching can help boost your immune system and perhaps give you a small burst of energy.
10. Take an over the counter pain reliever to ease headache or body aches. Also you can use drug store nasal decongestants. But if you are trying to keep it natural (or are in denial that you are actually getting sick) try all the above drug free remedies first. ;)