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As the cold season approaches, there are several ways to prevent a cold, including washing your hands frequently, ensuring sufficient rest, staying hydrated, and maintaining a healthy diet. However, sometimes you might still catch a cold despite all efforts to avoid it. Unfortunately, there is no foolproof way to prevent a cold once you sense it coming on. Nevertheless, there are steps you can take to prevent the cold from worsening, reduce its severity, and shorten the duration of its symptoms.
Steps
Develop basic habits to ease a cold
Get plenty of rest. Aim for 8 hours of sleep on the first night when the cold symptoms begin. A full night's rest helps boost your immune system, making it easier for your body to fight off the invading virus.
- If you can't sleep through the night, try taking a 20-30 minute nap during the day to allow your body some rest.
- If possible, consider staying home from school or work when the cold hits to get more rest. Staying home also helps prevent the spread of the virus to others.
Drink plenty of water. Water helps prevent dehydration and keeps the throat moist, creating an environment that reduces the attraction of germs. Drinking water also helps relieve congestion and soothe symptoms.
- It is recommended to drink at least 8-10 cups (250 ml per cup) of water per day, especially when you feel a cold coming on.
- Water, caffeine-free tea, sports drinks, fresh fruit juices, clear broths, and ginger beer are all excellent choices for those with a cold.
- Limit alcoholic or caffeinated beverages as they have diuretic properties and can cause dehydration.
- Both green tea and peppermint tea possess properties that strengthen the body's defenses while helping to expel germs.
Keep the air humid. Dry air can allow cold-causing viruses to linger and thrive. Therefore, adding moisture to the air can help shorten the duration of a cold. Increased humidity also helps ease symptoms by preventing nasal passages from becoming dry and painful.
- Turn on a humidifier in the room where you spend most of your time or take a hot shower to create extra steam.
- Warm humidity is especially beneficial.
Use natural remedies to treat a cold
Eat chicken soup. Research shows that chicken soup has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce swelling in the nasal passages and ease cold symptoms. Consuming healthy calories early on is also essential for giving your body the energy needed to fight off the virus.
- Make sure to drink the broth (stock) as well. Hot broth contains many nutrients from the soup itself while also providing hydration to the body.
Take zinc supplements. The benefits of zinc are still being studied, but research suggests that taking a small dose of zinc in supplement form every two hours when cold symptoms first appear can shorten the duration of the cold and reduce the severity of its symptoms.
- Potential side effects include stomach discomfort, nausea, abdominal pain, and mouth irritation. Those using zinc nasal sprays may temporarily lose their sense of smell.
- At most, zinc may only shorten the length of a cold by one day.
- Zinc supplements are available in liquid drops, tablets, lozenges, and nasal spray forms.
Use lemon. Lemon juice is packed with vitamin C, and its acidity helps soothe the early symptoms of a cold while reducing mucus production.
- By reducing mucus, you can prevent the virus from hiding in your body and causing prolonged infection.
- Squeeze a slice of lemon into your tea or sip on lemon water.
- You can enjoy honey and lemon tea to enhance the benefits.
Add ginger. Some researchers believe that ginger stimulates healthy sweating, which boosts the immune system when a cold sets in. Due to its sweat-inducing properties, ginger helps detoxify the body and lower body temperature.
- Sweat contains dermcidin – an antibacterial substance – that can protect the body from bacterial invasion. The protective effect is strongest when you sweat a bit. So, ginger can help trigger this process.
- Steep a few slices of fresh ginger in hot water for a few minutes to make herbal tea. Alternatively, you can incorporate ginger into your meals.
Use garlic. Garlic contains allicin – a compound believed to strengthen the immune system and alleviate cold symptoms. Some studies suggest that garlic can even combat viruses and prevent future colds.
- You can prepare garlic "tea" by crushing 1-2 garlic cloves and steeping them in hot water for a few minutes.
- Alternatively, you can include garlic in your diet by adding it to dishes. Put some garlic in chicken soup or make garlic butter toast.
Use Echinacea or Goldenseal. Like many other home remedies, there is no unanimous proof on whether these herbs effectively shorten the duration of a cold. However, studies suggest that Echinacea and Goldenseal work best when taken at the onset of cold symptoms.
- Take Echinacea or Goldenseal tincture as it is more effective than capsules.
- If you are on medication, consult your doctor to ensure that taking these herbal supplements is safe. Some herbs may interact negatively with certain medications.
Add some spice to your food. Add hot peppers or a bit of hot sauce to your meals. Spicy food temporarily opens sinuses to alleviate congestion and push out mucus.
- Note that this is most effective when the initial symptoms affect the nose rather than the throat. By keeping your sinuses clear, you can prevent prolonged infection and stimulate the expulsion of cold-causing viruses.
Use medical treatments to prevent a cold
Use saline solution for nasal drops or spray. These over-the-counter treatments help alleviate congestion and clear your nasal passages, removing mucus, bacteria, and viruses from your system. By flushing out the germs yourself, you can accelerate your recovery.
- Squeeze the bulb of the syringe to draw the saline solution, then insert the nozzle into your nostril about 6-12 mm. Gradually release the bulb to introduce the saline solution into your nose.
- If you can't buy a saline solution from the store, you can create your own by mixing 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) of salt with 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) of baking soda and 250 ml of warm water. Use with a Neti pot for optimal results, and always use filtered, distilled, or boiled water that has been heated for at least one minute.
- Be sure to clean the syringe after each use and let it air dry. This helps you avoid re-exposure to the same germs.
Try using over-the-counter cold medications. Decongestants can dry up mucus in your nose, relieving symptoms and reducing contact with viruses in the nasal lining.
- Although decongestants may help ease symptoms, they may not shorten the duration of your cold. However, by relieving symptoms, they provide an opportunity for more rest, which can help your body fight the virus faster.
- Note that decongestants can increase your heart rate and may cause anxiety or insomnia in some cases. If you are already taking prescription medication, consult with a pharmacist before purchasing over-the-counter medication to ensure no negative drug interactions affect your health.
Use antihistamines. If you have a runny nose instead of nasal congestion, antihistamines can be highly beneficial in reducing cold symptoms.
- Antihistamines are typically used to treat allergies, but they can help control sneezing and reduce nasal dryness more effectively than decongestants. By drying up mucus, antihistamines reduce the time that the virus is in contact with the nasal lining, thereby shortening the cold's duration.
- As with other treatments, the sooner you take antihistamines, the more effective they are.
- Note that antihistamines can cause drowsiness. However, decongestant-containing antihistamines usually reduce this risk. You can also look for non-drowsy antihistamines. Avoid using antihistamines while driving or operating heavy machinery.
Boost your immune system
Go for a walk. Engaging in light exercise can actually boost your immune system. Since initial symptoms are often mild, it’s a great time to do some gentle physical activity, such as walking briskly for 10 minutes, 2-3 times.
- You can also try yoga or other light exercises instead of walking. These options may even be better if the weather is too bad to walk outside.
- Be cautious if it’s cold or rainy. Layer up to stay warm and dry.
- Walking outside on a sunny day can also increase your exposure to Vitamin D from sunlight, further boosting your immune system.
Increase your Vitamin C intake. Vitamin C has long been considered a remedy for colds, though there’s limited scientific evidence to prove its effectiveness. However, Vitamin C can help strengthen your immune system, and some studies suggest that taking it at the first sign of a cold might shorten its duration.
- You can supplement Vitamin C through dietary supplements or by consuming foods and drinks rich in it. Most fruits, especially citrus fruits, are great sources of Vitamin C.
Have a spoonful of honey. Honey is believed to have immune-boosting properties and has natural antibacterial effects, which can help speed up your recovery.
- Consume a spoonful of honey when you first notice symptoms to give your immune system a quick boost.
- Honey is especially soothing if your first symptoms are in your throat.
- You can mix honey into tea, coffee, or plain water.
Eat yogurt. The probiotics in yogurt, such as Acidophilus, can provide beneficial bacteria to your body to help strengthen the immune system. These beneficial bacteria can stimulate the production of immune-boosting substances to help your body fight illness.
- Yogurt is particularly effective in replenishing good bacteria in the digestive system, which plays a major role in immune function.
What You’ll Need
- Plain water and other beverages
- Humidifier
- Saline nasal spray or drops
- Decongestants
- Antihistamines
- Vitamin C supplements
- Zinc supplements
- Humidifier
- Honey
- Lemon
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Chicken soup
- Yogurt
- Echinacea flower
- Goldenseal
- Spicy foods
