Ah, Yes…Cold Season

Once again I must apologize for failing miserably at keeping up with the creative aspect of my blog. Today’s impediment – germs. Long story short – within hours of my husband’s return from his trip to BrickCon (where I am pleased to report he won “Best Large Mosaic”) I fell prey to a head cold. It feels kind of like the end of exams – when your body goes “Ahh, I’m done (solo parenting, in this case). Time to rest…” and then when your guard is down WHAMO!!! the germs attack. So, I spent today taking it as easy as I could (whilst trying to keep up with the baby, the chores, and working on a photography project for the Loose Moose), and I napped during nap time…which means it’s now late and I am at a loss for what to post about other than “How to find some relief from a dreaded head cold”.

A few of the things I find bring me relief when hit with a cold.

So. Here are some of my personal approaches to find a little relief from those evil germs. (Please note that I promise no “remedy”, as the only thing I know to “cure” the common cold is your own immune response. That being said, I truly believe that you can help pump up your defenses with a few easy steps).

• Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!!! Push the fluids as much as possible, avoiding too much sugar or caffeine. Personally, I enjoy sipping Echinacea tea with a small touch of honey all day long plus LOTS of water.
• Eat Chicken Soup – even if it’s from a can, the healing powers of chicken soup are legendary. I usually take one of those organic soup stock tetrapacks and throw in some cooked chicken and frozen veggies or left over rice, but have been know to make Lipton Cup-o-Soup in a pinch. I will even drink warm cups of plain broth before bed if it’s all I can manage. Again, I try to avoid sugar, caffeine, and processed food in general.
• Take A Bath – I had a friend in University who swore by the “red cheeks” approach. Upon the first signs of a cold, draw yourself the hottest bath you can stand – it should be so hot that you have a hard time getting in and your cheeks (both sets) are red for a good long time after you get out. It’s one way to emulate a fever which helps your body’s defenses work better.
• Bundle Up – Again, keeping yourself toasty warm makes it harder for bacteria to survive and easier for your immune response to do it’s thing. I usually pull out my softest, warmest flannel PJs, an old pashmina, and some fuzzy slippers and live in them until the worst of the cold has passed. I will also occasionally don a touque (to both keep in the heat and hide the nasty hair), and wrap a hot pack around my neck and shoulders. Yes, I am quite a sight when I have a cold. 😉
• Employ Essential Oils – my favourite cold buster is a blend I found by “Nature’s Essence” containing oils of Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Lavender, Marjoram, Basil and Clove. I usually will rub 5-6 drops around my neck several times a day, and then onto the sole of each foot right before bed. You can also put it into the bath, but I find that it makes me feel cold after, so I use Lavender and Tea Tree with a little sea salt instead. Alternately, I will put a few drops the blend in a bowl of steamy water, cover my head with a towel and inhale. I also have a spray bottle that has Clove, Orange, Cinnamon, and Pine oils in it and I spray that around when visitors drop by to stop the spread of germs.
• Change Your Brainwaves – I know it may sound a little “new age hokey”, but anything is worth a try when you’re suffering, isn’t it? I have a few CDs that I play when I get sick – one is a guided meditation with healing visualizations, and the others have “subliminal” healing messages with nice music or nature sounds over top. Even if you don’t buy into the whole thing, you’ll have something nice to listen to in the tub. Plus, it certainly pays to take the time to stop and rest and pay attention to what your body is telling you (i.e. to stop and rest).
• Moisturize – when I get sick, my nose runs like crazy resulting in super chapped lips and nose. I have found that “normal” moisturizers don’t do the trick for more than a few minutes, so I pull out the “big guns”. If my Burt’s Bees Lip Balm (applied to the nose with a clean finger, I might add) doesn’t do the trick, I reach for my Dr. Bronner’s & Sundog’s Magic Organic Balm for dry/chapped skin or tattoos, or if in desperation, my “Dermal Therapy” Cream which contains lots of things I can’t even pronounce, but which really does rehydrate.
• Take Your Vitamins – I tend to be a bit forgetful about taking a daily multivitamin, but when I get sick, I do my best to remember so that my body has the resources it needs to do it’s job. Sometimes, I’ll take the zinc lozenges with vitamin C, but rarely do I take “cold medications”. I find that all it does is help you forget that you are sick to the point that you overdo it and make yourself even more sick than if you had taken care of yourself in the first place.
• Above All, Take It Easy! – I know it’s hard to step away from the day to day responsibilities and whatnots, but if you want to get better faster, you have to find a way. Being a mom, gone are the days when I could laze in bed alternating between reading and dozing, or making like a sofa spud and watching movies all day. But. On these occasions I allow myself to let the TV “edu-tain” the kids without any guilt, and let all but the most essential chores wait a few days. I have even been know to <gasp> ask for help from friends and rellies to mind the kids for a few hours so that I could catch up on some sleep. Desperate times call for desperate measures don’t you know.

My grandmother used to swear by a blended concoction of one whole peeled bulb of raw garlic, the juice from one lemon, and some honey…which she stored in the fridge and would eat a spoonful of every day. Some friends I know use Oil of Oregano and Neti Pots when they get sick. And a friend once suggested “Grandma Harvey’s” surefire cure – good, old fashioned sex. I personally have had unpredictable successes with these approaches and don’t tend to use them on a regular basis (I mean come ON, who feels like getting all hot and heavy when you feel like heck, look like shite, and can’t even breathe through your nose to enjoy a nice, long kiss?!?!) Anyhow. What about you? What are your favourite cold busters???