When you catch a cold, you want to get over it quickly. Especially around this time of Christmas.
Getting plenty of rest and staying hydrated are two of the best proven ways to get back to feeling 100%.
But experts say there are other, slightly more unusual ways to combat runny noses, sore throats and barking coughs…
Most colds last about a week. There is no miracle cure, but experts have found that just drinking tea, taking a hot shower, and eating curry can improve symptoms.
take a hot shower
A warm bath or shower can help ease one of the nasty side effects of this winter’s quietly lurking bugs: pain.
Staying warm can actually help reduce cold symptoms, according to Dr. Simon Clarke, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Reading.
He said: “If you are cold and need to warm up, a bath or shower is one way to go.”
In addition to warming the body, the steam in the shower clears out clogged sinuses by thinning mucus. This will make it easier to drain.
Pharmacist Thorrun Govind suggests filling a bowl full of hot water and inhaling the steam for the same effect.
“Breathing deeply through a bowl of water thins the mucus and helps it drain a little better,” she said.
Hot water in the shower or bath also increases blood flow, relaxing and soothing the muscles – relieving those obvious aches and pains.
In addition to warming the body, the steam in the shower thins mucus, clearing swollen sinuses and making it easier to blow.
take a brisk walk
If you feel tired, you may be reluctant to stay outside to beat the cold.
But if you muster up the courage to go outside and take a brisk walk, experts say it can really help.
Dr. Clark adds that taking a walk and getting some fresh air is always good for your health. But this time of year, he insists, keep yourself warm and wrapped up.
The Mayo Clinic, a U.S. medical research center, says that exercise can open up your nasal passages and temporarily relieve nasal congestion.
But not everyone agrees with the logic that going for a walk when sick can help.
“You just want to rest, sleep and stay warm,” Govind said.
“You should avoid contact with other people until you feel better.”
Regular exercise also boosts your immune system over time. This may help in the long run.
Be brave enough to go outside and take a brisk walk may help, according to experts. This is because exercise can open up your nasal passages and temporarily relieve nasal congestion.
eat curry
Going out to eat curry may be the answer to your worries.
“Personally, I think this will work,” Dr. Clark said.
“I don’t know the scientific basis for this, but eating spicy food gives me a little energy.”
He explained that one reason for this could be because the spice stimulates and opens the airways.
It clears the stuffy nose and makes breathing easier, but Dr. Clark admits that the experts themselves aren’t 100% sure why it works.
A test by a leading cold researcher also found that eating madras helped.
Cardiff University’s Common Cold Center has found that spicy dishes can help with salivation and reduce symptoms of coughing and sore throats.
Curry is full of vitamins that repel viruses.
Ingredients such as garlic and ginger are added to accent the dish and are rich in zinc, which helps fight off the rhinovirus that causes many colds. I don’t think it will work, but it could potentially be useful.
Experts say curries help ease congestion. It also contains vitamin-rich foods that can help the immune system.
Drinking hot tea or hot beverages will make you feel better.Keeps you hydrated and unclogs airways, according to experts
put the kettle down
A cup really makes me feel better.
Professor Ron Eccles of Cardiff University’s Common Cold Center and his team once studied the effect of drinking a soothing hot drink on nasal congestion.
2008 studyin the journal Rhinology, found that hot drinks immediately relieve runny noses, coughs, sneezing, sore throats, chills, and fatigue.
However, room temperature drinks only relieved the symptoms of a runny nose, cough, and sneezing.
Professor Eccles said:
He conducted a clinical trial testing the theory that hot blackcurrant cordials can help soothe a sore throat.
But it doesn’t have to be hot blackcurrants, he said.
As for how hot showers and the humidity in the air can help, in theory, the steam in a hot drink can soften and break down mucus, making it easier to breathe.
“You need to drink plenty of fluids to keep your mucous membranes lubricated,” Govind says.
“Drinking a warm liquid will make it a little easier.”
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