OK, you are starting to feel off- scratchy throat, stuffy nose, lower energy. You have 2 choices- SUPRESS all those symptoms and keep chugging along, OR SUPERPOWER your body to kick this cold out of existence. Now if option 1 sounds good you probably aren’t reading this. Since you are still with me, here are 5 things you can do to SUPERPOWER your immune army:
1. HYDRATE! HYDRATE! HYDRATE! Enough said.
2. LEAN INTO THE FEVER. Bacteria and viruses are wimpy, simple, easy to kill beings. 1 degree temperature change- dead. Slightly lower pH- dead. So, one of the worst things you can do is take a Tylenol and quench the purifying fire. Instead you want to stoke that blaze. Here’s how:
Take a super-hot bath or shower- as hot as you can stand it without scalding yourself. Get nice and hot.
Once you get out, dress in your warmest PJs or sweats. Put on some thick socks. Grab a comfy sweater. Layer it on.
Get under the covers. Park yourself in bed or on the sofa under a nice snuggly blanket.
Initiate a Netflix marathon. (This is the perfect time to catch up with brainless TV.)
3. GET SOME REST! Go home. Get into bed. Stay there.
Your amazing immune system can’t fight off the allergies or bacteria or viruses if you are also trying to keep up with your job duties. Your body ability to heal is AMAZING. Get out if it’s way.
4. SATURATE WITH VITAMIN C! Vitamin C, taken at the first sign of a cold, can significantly shorten its duration. So take it early. Take it often.
Aim for 1000 mg every 2 hours during your rest phase. We like the Trace Mineral Research’s POWER PAKs, but you can also use Emerge-C or a Vitamin C tablet. Your digestive tract will tell you if you hit your saturation point. (Cut back your dose if you have loose stool.)
An even better option is to superpower your cold-killing white blood cells with vitamin C delivered directly to your blood stream. Call as soon as you are feeling sick, and we will get you in for our Mini-Immune IV.
5. GET THE GUNK OUT! For viruses and bacteria, phlegm is fun. The longer you stay congested, the crazier the party.
Rinse it out- Use a neti pot, or easier, a collapsible NasoPure nasal rinse bottle. Rinse with buffered saline at least twice a day for optimal gunk removal. If you are feeling brave, add A DROP of oregano oil. The reward is huge.
Steam in out- Close the doors. Close the windows, Take a hot steamy bath or shower. Or even just breath in the steam as you drink your hot cup of tea.
Blow it out- Don’t suck it back in!!!! That’s why they invented disposable tissues.
P.S. If you like the people around you , even just a little bit, wash your hands a lot so they don’t get sick too. Soap is the enemy of all bugs, big and small.
-Courtney Cox-Gibson, RN