TEN WAYS TO EASE A COLD

The weather has been very bad for the past few weeks and many people are down with cold and flu. Even my friend PapaJoneh was down with flu recently, making him a dangerous viral germs carrier which might affect his two few months old twin babies. Most people will just grab an aspirin when their noses started to run or their limbs begin to ache with pain. Why not try some alternative therapy for fast and natural relief. Below are the therapies which I am going to share with you.

HERBAL REMEDIES: Echinacea certainly deserves its reputation as the number one natural remedy for colds. It comes in many forms such as tablet, capsule, extracts or even tea. In case you have a sore throat too, try gargle with an astringent tea made with bayberry, myrrh or sage to soothe it.

VITAMINS: When the enemy strikes, take a divided dosage up to 2000mg of vitamin C throughout the day.

MINERALS: At the hint of a sore throat, take one zinc-gluconate lozenge every 2 hours for a week. It will soften the blow.

HOMEOPATHY: Remedies include Aconite at first sign of a cold, Oscillococcinum to zap a bug in the bud, and Allium to dry up a runny nose.

ACUPRESSURE: Partially flex either arm and apply pressure just below the elbow crease at the outer end. You can even press and massage from the top of your head down to the hollow at the base of your skull.

RELAXATION: Stress lowers your body resistance to viral infections. When you feel sniffles creeping into your life, try meditation or get someone to massage those aches and pains with some Eucalyptus Oil.

NUTRITION: Take more fresh vegetables and fruits. Stay away from those oily and spicy food. Clear chicken soup with chopped onions and garlic will be good as onions help clear the lungs, while garlic enhanced your immunity.

HYDROTHERAPY: To ease the bodily pains of aching limbs and throbbing head and stuffy nose, soak your feet in a basin of hot water with a teaspoon of mustard powder. You can even use essential oils such as rosemary or sage.

STEAM INHALATION: Make a towel tent over a pot of fresh herbal tea such as sage, eucalyptus or rosemary and breathe deep through the nose. You can even add a couple drops of the essential oils such as tea tree, lavender, or eucalyptus into a bowl of hot water and inhale the steam. The fastest way to inhale the steam is to make a cone from a piece of paper, cut off the tip and breathe in the steam through the hole. Local alternative to those essential oils is the minyak angin.

HUMOR THERAPHY: You feel lousy and easily agitated and this will make the germs grow stronger. Try watching a comedy show and chuckle all the way. This will stimulate the flow of feel-good endorphins. This therapy will provide you with a positive attitude to help you keep the bug from turning you into sickbed misery.

In case you still need some medication for those barking cough and painful sore throat, here are my two recommendations, Tussil for cough and Diflam Red/Green for the throat. Clarinase clears my running nose as it has no side effects such as drowsiness. Remember! When you are under the influence of a flu medication such as Bena, DO NOT DRIVE!