At Home Remedies To Shield Yourself From Sick Season

It is officially cold weather, both in temperature and in sickness.  Your throat is scratchy, your body is weak, and for the love of God, you can’t remember what it feels like to breathe out of both nostrils.  Sure, you’ve dealt with colds before.  I mean, come on, you’re an adult! But, that never changes the fact that you feel like crap and want nothing more than to crawl up in a bundle of blankets and shut out the outside world.  Unfortunately for those of us with responsibilities, that’s usually not a possibility.  But worry not, folks!  I am here to help with a list of remedies that will help get rid of that pesky little cold in just 24 hours!

Increase your vitamin C intake

Yes, your parents were right when they made you drink orange juice as a kid.  This is a remedy that many people know, but it doesn’t change its effectiveness!  I keep vitamin C supplements in my house at all times. That way when I do start to show signs of a cold, I go hard on the supplements and boom! I always feel better by the next day.

Sage it up!

Via Sage

I am a complete believer in using herbal remedies and when dealing with sicknesses they never fail me.  Sage isn’t just for cleansing negative energy, it’s a life saver.  Sage is anti-viral, anti-microbial, and it alleviates mucus and phlegm!  Add it to your soup or drink it with tea and watch your life be changed.

Add some ginger

Via One Good Thing

Ginger is another herb that’s great for sicknesses because it clears congestion and strengthens the immune system.  Use fresh ginger for this, and add it to tea, soup, or hot water to start feeling better.

Step away from the sugar

Sugar is a big no-no for your immune system! Stay away from the popsicles, the ice-cream, the candy, and everything else you suck on when your throat is sore.  It’s only prolonging your sickness and making you sicker!

Echinacea

My favorite!  I always keep echinacea in my pantry for when I start to feel sick and it always—and I do mean always—works.  Echinacea is yet another herbal remedy, but this is the one that I swear by.  It works best at the very first sign of a cold.  So, as soon as you feel like you’re coming down with something, grab a bottle of echinacea pills and get to it!

Hydrate!

Yes, kiddos, this is a potential life saver.  Drink lots of water and stay hydrated. You’re at higher risk for dehydration when you’re battling an illness, so hydration is essential if you want to win!  Fluids also help flush out mucus!

Think zinc

Zinc helps boost your body’s response to infections and it also reduces inflammation. Go to your local drugstore and pick up some zinc pills or lozenges and stock up on your zinc intake when you start feeling that yucky cold in your body!

Get some elderberry syrup

Elderberries have anti-viral properties and they boost the immune system which is everything you want when you’re coming down with a bug.  You can also take elderberry pills that are extremely effective!

Good ol’ chicken noodle soup

Your moms and grandmas weren’t steering you wrong.  The combination of broth and veggies can suppress chemicals that cause inflammation in the body.  When I’m sick, I add cayenne pepper (decongestant), thyme (antibacterial and antifungal), sage, ginger, garlic (antibacterial and antifungal), and a little lemon juice (decreases the phlegm and strength of illness) to fully reap the benefits.  I swear my soup recipe gets the job done every time! 

Rest

Go the heck to sleep!  Your body needs rest to fight off the illness, so go to sleep a bit earlier today and give your body the rest it needs.  Lack of sleep also puts a damper on your immune system. Being sick while adulting is never fun—at least when we were kids we got a day off and a trip to grandma’s!  But, hopefully, these remedies will leave you feeling better and back to your old, non-sick self in no time!

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