COLD, COLD GO AWAY

Ship's Log  02.22.2013

Ahoy Mateys...all of us fall prey to those pesky colds each year and I am nursing a cold right now....hence my blog today.

First of all, how does one know that it is just a common cold? Well, here are the symptoms of a head cold, or aka the common cold:

Sneezing
Runny nose
Nasal congestion
A stuffy nose
Mild fatigue
Itchy or sore throat
Low-grade fever (up to 102° F or 39° C)
Cough
Watery eyes
Muscle ache
Mild headache
Loss of appetite


But, be warned, you could also have an ear or sinus infection. If you have any of the following symptoms, I advice you to seek medical help:


Fever of 103° F (39.5° C) or higher
Chills or sweating
Difficulty in breathing
Vomiting
Abdominal pain
Ear pain
Unusual sleepiness
Persistent crying
Severe headache
Persistent cough

Now, I don't know about you, but I always try to do all I can to relieve my cold symptoms naturally, before resorting to medicines. Medicines and I do not go well together........

So, what I did is I looked up some home remedies to share with you today. 


Remedy # 1

Drink a lot of hot liquids, such as tea and soup. This helps to relieve nasal congestion and keeps you from getting dehydrated. Drinking diluted lime juice in a warm glass of water is said to relieve symptoms as well.

Remedy # 2

Garlic is said to help because of its antibiotic properties. I do not recommend hanging it around your neck....I've heard that some people do this.....simply adding some garlic to your soup should help.

Remedy # 3

Blow your nose often, one nostril at a time, very gently. By keeping your nasal passages clear, you won't turn into a sniffling machine.

Remedy # 4

Eucalyptus oil is said to be good for clearing up those nasal passages. Apply the oil on the sides of the nose. 

Remedy # 5

I like this one. .  A nice warm bath or shower.. Yes, I do like this one and it does help to clear up your head, if not for a short while.

A few other things that could help are avoiding caffeinated drinks, sleeping with an extra pillow under your head (something I also do) and trying a salt water nasal spray.



 Now any doctor or friend will tell you that one thing you must do when you are nursing a cold (besides not coughing and sneezing on everyone) is to get plenty of rest.

 

 

Good advice.... I can tell you from experience, that if you do not let your body get the rest it needs,    you will become a miserable, cranky pants. 

So,  my advice to anyone (including myself) who is nursing a cold, to do your best to relieve your symptoms... If not for yourself, for those who have to be around you. 

Before you know it, you will be your chipper self again real soon..

Thanks for visiting my blog today.   If you can add to my list above, you are more than welcome to mention them in the comments below.   Here's to getting over this head cold as soon as possible....God bless..