Anti-Cold Remedies that Work: Effective modern and natural remedies

The original blog post that inspired this hubpage is here: http://fourhourworkweek.com/2008/03/18/4-anti-cold-cocktails-that-work-from-ancient-china-to-german-alcoholics-and-modern-labs/

I have used these remedies for years and they are very helpful when dealing with a bad cold, or any bad illness. Because I have chronic fatigue syndrome, when Im stick it takes an extra toll on me physically as well as mentally.

Not all of these remedies are natural and some have been expanded upon Timothy Ferris's blog post (its from 2008). Most of these remedies are relatively inexpensive and would be a good idea to be stocked up on year round just in case.

In Timothy Ferriss's original blog post he wrote how he learned a chinese remedy that helped with colds from a nearby chinese restaurant. The tea is simple to make but involves the peel of an orange or two, ginger, cinnamon and something to help sweeten it (stevia, maple syrup or raw sugar). You simply boil the orange peel and the chopped up pieces of ginger for about 10-15 minutes (only about a tablespoon or two is needed, not much ginger is needed). You can also probably use a natural orange/ginger tea as well.

This will help as ginger and oranges have been shown to have immune promoting properties and anti-viral properties as well.

You can drink this at least once a day if not more, while your sick to help fight your cold.

Cinnamon has many beneficial properties that have been demonstrated in numerous studies and research. It can help with inflammation, help regular blood sugar and has been shown to have anti-viral properties as well.

It can either be added to the orange/ginger tea or supplemented with directly. You only need to take 1-2 a day, as taking too much can worsen problems, can potentially cause liver problems or other health complications. Ceylon cinnamon (true cinnamon) has been shown to have less incidences of complications. Cassia cinnamon is the kind generally used and bought most often in grocery stores and elsewhere. Both have different taste profiles, color and appearance.

For a cassia vs ceylon cinnamon breakdown check here: http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/ceylon-cinnamon.html

Epsom salt baths can help relieve tension, soreness and stiffness from your muscles, that is very common when you have a cold or are very sick. If you are at all sensitive to sulfur (or thiols) compounds you can opt to take a magnesium chloride bath instead of using magnesium sulfate (epsom salt). You should stay in the bath for at least 20-30 minutes to get the full effect of the epsom salt. Other additional items you can add to the bath are essential oils, baking soda and regular salt, as well as vitamin c.

Vitamin c, salt, baking soda and essential oils can help enhance the effects of the epsom salt and provide more soothing relief. You can take one of these baths daily until you are no longer sick.

Getting enough sleep is difficult when you are sick. It can be hard to breathe if your congested and for those that already suffer from insomnia, being sick can worsen your insomnia. Melatonin along with a few other supplements such as theanine, GABA, tryptophan and a few others can help you fall asleep easier and also help with any stress or anxiety produced by being sick.

I take GABA during the day due to several GAD mutations and can help with anxiety, stress and brain performance. Theanine and tryptophan are two amino acids that in high enough doses can help induce sleep as well as increase the quality of sleep as well.

Check out this hubpage for more help on getting the most out of your sleep: http://jheldt.hubpages.com/hub/Hacking-Your-Sleep

Garlic has been shown to have wonderful anti-viral properties as well as with helping increase immunity. It can be taken up to 3 times a day, with 2 capsules per dose. If you are sensitive or suspect you are sensitive to thiol/sulfur compounds I would avoid supplementing with garlic. By supplementing with probiotics you can help with your gut health, and increase immunity. Brain health as well as immunity has been shown to have a clear connection to our gut health. The better our digestion is working, the better our brains, nervous system and our immune systems work. I usually take a supplement that has several probiotic strains with prebiotic, lactoferrin, all in one which help a lot with gut health.

Vitamin C can be taken in high doses without many complications. When vitamin c is taken in higher dosages it can increase levels of iron in your body. Too high iron levels in your body can cause problems though, so if you have already elevated levels of iron you won't need to supplement with as much vitamin c. You can take up to 8-10 grams divided in 1 gram dosages and taken every hour to two hours (until no longer sick). I naturally have a bit of vitamin c already added to my natural electrolyte mix and its always a good idea to stay hydrated when your sick anyway, check out my natural electrolyte mix here though: http://jheldt.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-make-natural-electrolyte-mix-AKA-MTHFRade

There are several nasal rinsing/irrigation products out on the market. You can find these at grocery stores as well as online. These help clean and clear out your nasal passages, and helping relieve congestion. You can do it several times a day and generally need to rinse out both of your nostrils to get the most out of using your nasal rinse.

Nasal rinses/irrigation can also help when you have sinus infections/problems or when your body is congested due to other reasons as well.

Using a vaporizer or humidifier can help clear up your congestion/sinuses and help provide congestion relief. I naturally have a humidifier in my room as it helps with sleep quality. Its best to use cold mist humidifiers as they work equally as well as warm mist humidifiers.

Staying hydrated is also important as well, drink lots of water as well as drinking electrolytes as well either in a natural electrolyte mix (linked above) or using Emergen-C. By staying hydrated it can help your immune system as well as provide relief for congestion.

You can also help relieve congested sinuses with a hot or cold pack. Be sure if you use a hot pack that its not too hot and will burn your skin.

Using nasal strips at night can help open nasal passages as well as putting an extra pillow or two underneath your head to allow your sinuses to drain.

To help with pain and inflammation, tylenol or ibuprofen can help a lot, and will help speed up the healing process. Just be sure to not take too many at a time and to space it out throughout the day. As far as over the counter cold medicines, I would advise taking something for inflammation (such as ibuprofen) as well as something to help with congestion such as a decongestant. A lot of cold medicines have high fructose corn syrup, as well as additives and preservatives which aren't good for you.

An all natural supplement you can take as well is Zicam. It is high in zinc, and homeopathic properties that help lessen the severity and duration of a cold or sickness. Take it when you are first sick until you no longer feel any symptoms. Zicam in lozenge form or oral mist is the best form to take. You can also use zicam for congestion relief as well, it is all natural and will help relieve your nasal passages as well.

Also if you a bad cough take cough drops as well, suck on them and chew on them throughout the day to help relieve a sore throat.

If you are sick for longer than a week or feel like you need to see a doctor, be sure to go see one. The doctor can often prescribe anti-viral or antibiotic medication to help as well as other recommendations or medications to help.

Also a rather unconventional approach that can help fight the common cold in the early stages is hydrogen peroxide. When you find you are just starting to get sick add 3-4 drops in your ear every couple of hours. Research has shown infection may come from the ear canal and not the nose or mouth as previously thought. A video above is shown to help demonstrate.