Home Remedies

[deano]

Sitting here with a common cold. It's derailed a December pushup challenge for me, as well as the week's riding. Trying to prevent it from devolving into an upper respiratory thing, as it usually does, esp. because I work in a healthcare facility and time = $. :/

Last year, I only treated it with bourbon in my tea, apple cider vinegar, and eating lots of oranges. Didn't do the math, but it seemed to come and go slightly quicker, certainly not longer than when I treat it with nyquil and otc crap like that.

What are your home remedies? For a cold or anything else, for that matter?

[andrew]

Here is an old one, family doctor endorsed.



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[Too Tall]

Suck a zinc tab

[Saab2000]

Rest
Saline Sinus rinse
Lots of berries and fruits (of course we already do that, don't we...??) for their natural antioxidants

Repeat

The saline sinus rinse when I get a cold has more or less finished off my recurrent and almost chronic sinus infections.

This is what I use.

[Mabouya]

The saline sinus rinse when I get a cold has more or less finished off my recurrent and almost chronic sinus infections.

This is what I use.

I see that they also make a neti pot. I've never used one, but have heard that they help quite a bit.



Re: home remedies

Get lots of sleep and as a preventative measure wash your hands often and keep them away from your face.

[Saab2000]

I see that they also make a neti pot. I've never used one, but have heard that they help quite a bit.



Re: home remedies

Get lots of sleep and as a preventative measure wash your hands often and keep them away from your face.

A Neti pot doesn't work for me. I need the pressure of the bottle. It's not much pressure but it is enough to get saline water through my sinuses.

As to preventative? I agree 100%. Wash hands early and often and then repeat.

[j44ke]

What Saab said. You do have to mind the pressure of the squeeze bottle, because with heavy congestion, you can pump water into your Eustachian tubes and fill your ears. That's not good. Gentle stream. Also sterilize your water and the bottle (2min in the microwave for the bottle after use is supposed to be OK.)

It works. Once a day.

Also I use Oil of Oregano as - what would it be called - daily fortification? A couple drops mixed in a shot glass with juice each morning. Doesn't taste good otherwise. Red pepper like hotness to it. Juice helps it go down. Warms like a shot of whiskey so may be a vasodilator of some sort, but whatever the case it is seems to reduce the number of times I get sick, it helps nip a slight chill before it becomes a fever, and it seems to shorten colds if they take hold.

Weirdness. I doubted it strongly, but I started trying it one morning when I felt a bit of something coming on and it zapped it. So now I take it regularly.

Amazon.com: North American Herb and Spice, Oreganol P73, .45-Ounce: Health & Personal Care

[Gattonero]

Hot tea with lots of grated (or finely sliced) fresh ginger, add two big spoons of honey.
Works wonders. Make a big cuppa

[Bob Ross]

Chicken soup. Homemade, not the canned crap.

Also, lots of echinecea and astragalus.

[Tom]

50/50 rum and lemon juice. I don't know if it makes the cold go away any faster but for some reason I don't care.

[prcrstn8]

Once you get the cold it's too late, but a daily dose of Vitamin D3 helps prevent them - it's worked for me for the last few years (a study of one) since I was determined to be D deficient, like many people who work indoors and cover up with sunblock when they go outside.

[false_aesthetic]

Honey + Cayanne Tea.

It doesn't cure. The burn just distracts from the sore throat and tickle in the nose.

[Pinned]

If I feel the slightest hint of a cold I do...everything. Not sure which of these things are the most effective but together you won't be sick for long.

I use a Grossan Hydro Pulse w/ the Grossan breathe ease powder - the powder has xylitol in it which makes it more effective than standard saline. I use this 2-3 times a day at least if feeling a sinus issue. The neilmed bottle is probably good too.

Eat a boat load of green vegetables. Like a few pounds worth. Then drink a vegetable juice with ginger in it. Lots of garlic on your food too.

Drink at least two gallons of water per day with lemon and lime in it.

1 Airborne per day.

Zinc lozenges.

Absolutely no dairy or sugar.

[jumphigher]

The only thing that's ever worked for me to shorten a cold was the original Zicam that you put inside your nose via the q-tip they provided. Both my wife and I felt it worked pretty well, and in principle I can see why it would work. Then they discontinued it, but I noticed recently there's a new version out that again is applied with q-tips. I plan on getting some the next time I feel a cold coming on and recommend you try it as well, OP.

Zinc lozenges and OJ have never helped IME.

[davids]

That sinus rinse thing is a great help. I first used one a couple years ago when I had serious sinus infection, and now I use it at the first signs of serious congestion. Keeping the passageways clear makes a real difference for me.

It's also gross as hell, which for some people may be a selling point...

[joosttx]

In Texas the remedy for all that ails is the topless bar or a donation to Robert Tilton. Most hedge their bets just to be safe.

[rowdyhillrambler]

That sinus rinse thing is a great help. I first used one a couple years ago when I had serious sinus infection, and now I use it at the first signs of serious congestion. Keeping the passageways clear makes a real difference for me.

It's also gross as hell, which for some people may be a selling point...

We just Neti potted. My 9 year old gal loves it. She even requests it. Absolutely a selling point for her, and I must admit, for me as well.

[Mabouya]

I need to crank up the humidifier I keep in the bedroom - with the heat on inside and the air outside too cold to hold much water, my sinuses are really starting to dry out.

At work there's no hope - I don't think they even try to humidify the air, but hopefully the ~7-8 hrs / day I spend in the bedroom will help to make up for that.