Content

• Steps
• What you need

When the cold season comes, we have many ways to prevent colds, including frequent hand washing, ensuring adequate rest, adequate fluids, and healthy eating. However, sometimes you can still catch a cold even if you do your best to prevent it. Unfortunately, there's no way to stop it completely when you feel a cold coming. However, there are steps to prevent a cold from getting worse and reduce its severity and shorten the duration of cold symptoms.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Practice basic cold habits

1. 

   Rest much. Try to get 8 hours of sleep the first night when you catch a cold. An all-night rest improves your immune function so your body can fight off the invading virus more easily.
   • If you can't get a full night's sleep, take 20-30 minutes of naps in the middle of the day to force your body to rest.
   • If possible, take a break from school or work when you catch a cold in order to rest more. Staying at home also helps to avoid spreading the virus to others.

2. 

   
   
   Drink a lot of water. Water helps prevent dehydration and moisturizes the throat, helping the throat environment reduce the attraction of germs. Drinking water also helps relieve congestion and ease symptoms.
   • Drink at least 8-10 cups (250 ml each) of water a day, especially if a cold is coming.
   • Water, decaffeinated tea, sports drinks, pure fruit juices, clear broths, and ginger beer are all good for cold sufferers.
   • Limit drinks that contain alcohol or caffeine, as they are diuretic, causing dehydration.
   • Green tea and peppermint tea both possess properties that help strengthen the body's defense mechanisms, while pushing germs out of the body.

3. 

   
   
   Keep the air moist. Dry air can cause cold viruses to linger and thrive. So, providing moisture to the air can help shorten the duration of a cold. Increasing moisture also helps relieve symptoms by preventing sinus dryness and pain.
   • Turn on a humidifier in which room you stay the most or take a hot bath to create more steam.
   • The warm moisture is especially helpful.
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Part 2 of 4: Using natural remedies to treat a cold

1. 

   
   
   Eat chicken soup. Evidence suggests that chicken soup has anti-inflammatory properties, which may help reduce swelling in the nose and reduce cold symptoms. Getting healthy calories early is also essential for your body to get enough energy to fight off the virus.
   • Make sure to drink the broth (broth) as well. Hot broth contains many nutrients right from the soup, while also providing water for the body.

2. 

   Take a zinc supplement. The benefits of zinc have yet to be determined, but studies suggest that adding a small dose of zinc in supplement form every 2 hours when a cold starts can shorten the duration of a cold and reduce the severity of the cold. severity of symptoms.
   • Potential side effects include stomach upset, nausea, stomach pain, and mouth irritation. People who supplement with zinc from nasal sprays may also temporarily lose their sense of smell.
   • At its maximum, zinc can only help reduce the duration of a cold to one day.
   • Zinc supplements are available in liquid drops, tablets, lozenges, and nasal sprays.

3. 

   Use lemons. Lemon juice contains high amounts of vitamin C and the acidity of lemon juice also helps soothe the early cold symptoms, while reducing phlegm.
   • By reducing the amount of phlegm, you can keep the virus from hiding in your body and causing a prolonged infection.
   • Squeeze a slice of lemon into tea or sip lemon juice.
   • You can enjoy tea mixed with honey and lemon for added benefits.

4. 

   Add ginger. Some researchers believe that ginger stimulates healthy sweating to boost the immune system when colds occur. Thanks to its sweat-stimulating effect, ginger helps to purify the body and lower body temperature.
   • Sweat contains dermcidin - an antibacterial agent - that can help protect the body from bacterial invasion. Your body's ability to protect against bacteria is at its strongest when you sweat a little. Therefore, you should use ginger to stimulate sweating.
   • Incubate a few slices of fresh ginger in hot water for a few minutes to make an herbal tea. Or you can eat foods containing ginger.

5. 

   Use garlic. Garlic contains allicin - a compound that is thought to help boost the immune system and reduce cold symptoms. Some studies show that garlic even helps fight viruses and prevent colds in the future.
   • You can prepare "tea" garlic by crushing 1-2 cloves of garlic and then incubating it in hot water for a few minutes.
   • Or you can get more garlic by eating foods that have been prepared with garlic. Add some garlic to chicken soup or make garlic toast.

6. 

   Use purple Echinacea or yellow ranunculus. Like many other home remedies, there is currently no consistent evidence as to whether these two herbs are effective at reducing cold times. However, research has shown that Echinacea and Capricorn are most effective if taken immediately when you feel a cold coming.
   • Drink wine soaked in purple Echinacea or ranunculus because medicinal alcohol is more effective than capsules.
   • If you are on medication, talk to your doctor about whether it is safe to take these herbal supplements. Herbs can interact negatively with certain medications.

7. 

   Add a little spice to your dish. Add hot chili or some chili sauce to dishes. Spicy foods help temporarily widen sinuses to relieve congestion and mucus discharge.
   • Note that this is most effective when the symptoms first appear in the nose instead of the throat. By keeping your sinuses as clean as possible, you can prevent a long-lasting infection and stimulate the expulsion of the cold virus.
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Part 3 of 4: Taking medical treatments to prevent colds

1. 

   Use normal saline to drops and spray your nose.These over-the-counter remedies help reduce congestion and help clear your nose, which in turn pushes out mucus, bacteria, and viruses. Pushing out the germs by hand can help speed recovery.
   • Squeeze the bulb to absorb saline and place the pump head into the nostril about 6-12 mm deep. Slowly release the syringe bulb to pump saline into your nose.
   • If you can't go to the store to buy a saline solution, mix 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) salt yourself with 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) baking soda and 250 ml. warm water. Use together with Neti for best results and be sure to always use water that has been filtered, distilled or boiled for at least one minute.
   • Be sure to rinse the plunger after each use and let it air dry. This will help you avoid re-exposure to the same germs.

2. 

   Try over-the-counter cold medicines. Over-the-counter decongestants help to dry out mucus in the nose, thereby alleviating symptoms and reducing exposure to the virus in the nasal mucosa.
   • While it may help ease the symptoms, a decongestant medicine may not help shorten the duration of the cold. However, by reducing your symptoms, you can increase your chances of rest to help your body fight off the virus more quickly.
   • Note that decongestants can increase heart rate. It can also cause anxiety and insomnia in some cases. If you are taking prescription drugs for medical treatment, you should talk to your pharmacist before you buy it to make sure there are no drug interactions that negatively affect your health.

3. 

   Take an antihistamine. If you have a runny nose instead of a stuffy nose, taking antihistamines can be of great help and also help reduce cold symptoms.
   • Antihistamines are often considered an allergy remedy, but may help prevent sneezing symptoms and reduce dryness more effectively than a decongestant. By drying the mucus, the antihistamine reduces the time the virus is in contact with the mucous membranes in the nose, thereby reducing the duration of a cold.
   • Similar to other treatments, the earlier the antihistamine is taken, the stronger the effect.
   • Note that antihistamines can cause drowsiness. However, medications containing decongestants often reduce this risk of drowsiness. You can find an antihistamine that does not cause drowsiness. Avoid taking antihistamines while driving or operating heavy machinery.
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Part 4 of 4: Strengthening the immune system

1. 

   Walk. Light exercise can actually help boost immune function. Since the initial symptoms are usually the mildest, you should take time to do some gentle exercise, such as brisk walking, 2-3 repetitions, 10 minutes each.
   • You can also do yoga and other gentle exercises instead of walking. These options may be even better if the weather is so bad that you cannot walk outdoors.
   • Be careful if the weather is cold or rainy. Wear multiple coats to keep your body moist and dry.
   • Walking outdoors on a sunny day can increase your chances of absorbing more vitamin D from the sun, which in turn strengthens the immune system.

2. 

   Increase your vitamin C intake. Vitamin C has long been known as an ingredient in colds, but there is little scientific evidence to support it. However, vitamin C can boost the immune system, and some studies suggest it may shorten the duration of symptoms if taken as soon as a cold starts.
   • You can get vitamin C in the form of supplements or naturally from food and water. Most fruits are rich in vitamin C, especially citrus fruits.

3. 

   Eat some honey. Honey is believed to have the ability to boost the immune system. Honey also has antibacterial properties, so it will be helpful for speeding up the body's recovery response.
   • Eat a spoonful of honey at the first symptom to boost the immune system quickly.
   • Honey is particularly soothing if the first symptom starts in the throat.
   • Can mix honey into tea, coffee or water.

4. 

   Eat yogurt. Acidophilus and other bacteria that live in yogurt can help provide healthy bacteria to the body to boost the immune system. These beneficial bacteria can stimulate the production of many substances in the immune system to help the body fight disease.
   • Yogurt is particularly effective at compensating for beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract - where immune function performs its primary role.
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What you need

• Water and other types of water
• Humidifier
• Saline products for saline drops and nasal sprays
• Medicine for stuffy nose
• Antihistamines
• Vitamin C supplements
• Zinc supplements
• Humidifier
• Honey
• Lemon
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Chicken soup
• Yogurt
• Purple Echinacea
• Butterflies and yellow flowers
• Spicy food