Suffering from a sore throat? Dealing with a congested, heavy head? Understandably colds are never fun or convenient. Here are nine tricks to help you power your way to cold recovery:
1. Get more sleep & rest – simple right? Not always, I know. However, allowing your body to rest helps it to focus its energy on cold recovery and healing so that you can get back on your feet sooner.
2. Drink 2 litres of water daily when you’re sick. Increased water intake can help reduce nasal symptoms by flushing/diluting mucous and histamine. Water is also needed for metabolic processes that can increase with fever.
3. Try to keep your temperature stable. Not easy with our heated buildings. But you can dress warmly for outside and take off layers when in a heated room. Avoid overdressing in bed.
4. Reach for the salt water. If you have a sore throat, a simple saline gargle can help. And if you have blocked sinuses, regular saline rinsing (ie. A saline nasal spray like Fess) can help.
5. Inhalation can also clear congestion. Remember the head over a bucket of steam? If you don’t have the time or energy for that, simply adding some Peppermint or Eucalyptus oil to a hot shower, or your pillow case can help. Inhaling Vicks or Tiger Balm can also help.
6. For a dry, irritated cough, taking honey can help. Raw, Organic honey is best as it has more anti-bacterial potency. Here’s a recipe for a chesty cough: Grilled Mandarins for Chesty Cough – Freedom Chinese Medicine
7. Apply white Tiger Balm. The Vicks of the East (without the petroleum products). Apply to your temples for a headache, under your nose to clear your nasal passages. Apply to your chest for a cough.
8. If you have a fever below 38ºC, don’t suppress it by taking Panadol or similar. A fever is your body’s way of fighting any invading microorganisms. A fever stimulates your immune system into producing more white blood cells, antibodies, and a protein called interferon, all of which work to protect your body against harmful microorganisms. By raising your body’s temperature a few degrees, a fever makes it harder for invading bacteria and viruses to survive and flourish. The higher your core body temperature is, the harder it is for harmful microorganisms to survive in your body.
9. For Sinusitis or a headache with a cold, press on Acupoints Colon 20, Colon 4 (Li4) & Gall Bladder 20. Check out these handy images below.
GB 20
Simple home remedies not cutting it? GP says it’s viral and doesn’t want to prescribe antibiotics? Acupuncture and/ or Chinese Herbs might help. There are many plants with anti-viral properties that have a long history of safe use. Click here for appointments in Melbourne or Mansfield: https://www.freedomchinesemedicine.com/booking
Haven’t got sick yet? Great. Here‘s some tips on how to keep your immune system robust. Prevention is better than cure!
B.H.Sc. TCM (Acupuncture), Cert.Cl.Ac (Beijing)
Registered Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine
@ Freedom Chinese Medicine
Email: Elaine@freedomchinesemedicine.com
https://www.facebook.com/freedomchinesemedicine