With wintertime quickly approaching, more and more people prepare for the cold season, which doesn’t just mean the weather. Oftentimes, with the cold weather comes the cold and flu season. Signs and symptoms cannot be overlooked, as you
With wintertime quickly approaching, more and more people prepare for the cold season, which doesn’t just mean the weather. Oftentimes, with the cold weather comes the cold and flu season. Signs and symptoms cannot be overlooked, as you will experience a runny nose, scratchy throat, and non-stop sneezing. Even though the signs and symptoms are obvious, there is still a lot of mystery surrounding this common condition. For instance, why are you getting sick when your friends and family seem to stay well? What can you do to make sure that you don’t catch a cold this year? Well, in order to prepare yourself for the season ahead you need to completely understand everything you possibly can about the cold.
Below, you are going to learn some of the most common natural cold remedies to help you combat this horrible condition.
Understanding What a Cold is
A cold is a type of illness that is caused by living viruses. While there are over 200 known viruses that can make you sick, the most common amongst these is the rhinovirus. In fact, reports and studies show that the rhinovirus is responsible for over 50 percent of cold cases. With all that being said, you might be surprised to learn that every year there are over one billion cases of the cold reported all throughout America.
What Causes the Common Cold?
A cold usually starts most of the time when one of these tiny viruses attaches itself to your body. It can attach to the lining of your nose or throat. Bu,t how does it get to your lining in the first place? Well, there are a variety of different ways to develop the common cold. For instance, coming into physical contact with someone who is suffering from this condition can cause you to get infected. Unfortunately, that is not the only way for you to come down with a cold. You can simply come into contact with a surface that has been touched by someone with a cold and the virus will pass onto your body in that manner.
For example, if someone with a cold touches a keyboard and you touch that same keyboard, the virus can be transmitted to you. In addition to this, if someone with a cold sneezes or coughs into the air, and you breathe it in, there is a good chance that you can become infected as well. It should also be noted that if you are stressed, suffer from allergies, or extremely fatigued, your body is more susceptible to the virus than other individuals.
When Should You See a Doctor?
There are times when the body just cannot outlast or fight off the common cold. In fact, the cold can sometimes mutate and turn into a more serious condition like ear, lung, and sinus infections. With that being said, most of the time a common cold will last anywhere from seven to 10 days. If you experience signs and symptoms that last longer than this, you should seek out a medical professional.
Taking Advantage of Natural Cold Remedies
While the common cold might not be one of the most serious illnesses out there, it certainly isn’t any fun. You are stuck at home in the bed suffering from chills, aches, fevers, and nasal congestion. The condition makes anyone miserable, but you might be surprised to learn that you probably have some cures sitting right in your kitchen and don’t even know it. Below, you will learn about some of the most common natural cold remedies that can be used.
1. Get Your Chicken Soup
Chicken soup has long been used for the common cold. But, why is chicken soup so effective for the common cold? Well, chicken soup has been proven to slow the movement of neutrophils, which is a common white blood cell found in the body. These cells are actually designed to fight and protect your body against infections. The slower they are moving, the more productive and effective they will be when it comes to fighting off viruses. Along with this, this power soup reduces the symptoms of upper respiratory infections, which is something that you often experience with the common cold.
2. Consume Ginger Root
Researchers and scientists from all around the world have been experimenting with ginger root and its healing properties for years now. However, there is now scientific proof that this powerful herb actually has curative properties as well. Add a few slices of ginger root to boiling water to help ease your sore throat and coughing symptoms. It has also even been proven that this powerful herb can help combat nausea.
3. The Sweet Power of Honey
Honey not only has a sweet, delicious taste, but it is packed with a variety of different antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. Simply, just drinking tea or coffee with honey can go an extremely long way in suppressing your cough and easing your sore throat. Ten grams of honey right before bedtime or naptime can ease your symptoms and help you get better well-rounded rest, when you are suffering from cold symptoms. With that being said, children that are one years old or younger should never be given honey. The reason for this is because honey contains botulinum spores. These spores are completely harmless to adults and ol