Powerful Ways to Fight That Summer Cold
You look forward to the warmer weather all year long and when it finally arrives, you’re plagued by a pesky cough, uncontrollable sniffles and shivers that have you hunting for your knitted blanket!
Getting a summer cold really can ruin your mood and although you may have thought you were less susceptible in the warmer months, the same viruses that have you reaching for the cough mixture in January still linger around the streets in July.
Thankfully there are many remedies and ways you can beat a summer cold so if you are feeling under the weather, it may be time to prepare your armour and fight that cold with everything you’ve got!
Rest
Don’t underestimate the power of a good old snooze!
You’ll often notice that a summer cold will grace you with its presence when you’ve been through a hectic period that makes you feel a little bit run down. If this is the case, whatever you do, don’t try and be the brave soldier who carries on as usual, spreading germs around the office and public transport system – you’ll prolong your illness while taking a few civilians down with you on the way!
Overworking your body, even if it’s for seemingly enjoyable occasions, can cause stress which manifests itself in the form of fatigue and weakened immunity. Resting is the only remedy here so if you’re constantly getting less than six hours a night, your summer cold is likely to hang around way beyond its welcome.
Rest is a powerful weapon and while you sleep, your body will cleverly repair itself. Most of this healing takes place in the deep phase of sleep when several immune defences take place. Whilst you sleep your body will register the foreign intruder in your system, work out how to fight it and start preparing for battle. This information will also be filed away so that if the intruder tries again, your immune system can jump into action quicker. These processes do of course take place when you’re awake as well but sleeping enhances these steps.
Treat
So often I come across sick people who refuse to take anything to alleviate symptoms, but there’s lots of natural remedies out there that can help you to manage your sickness if you do want to steer clear of official medication.
Steam can be a wonderful decongestant and all you need to do is get yourself a bowl of hot (not boiling) water that you rest over with a towel over your head (to keep the steam contained). You could even add a few drops of natural essential oils to further stimulate your nasal passages; peppermint oil or a eucalyptus blend would do the trick! Alternatively, steam from a hot shower or a trip to a steam room may help.
Gargling warm saltwater can help to relieve a sore throat as can a spoonful of honey, and even herbal tea with cinnamon and ginger in can be of great comfort when you’re feeling under the weather.
Eat Well
The expression ‘feed a cold, starve a fever’ dates back to the 16th Century (but recent medical science claims that you should actually feed a fever as well!), and there’s good reason behind the longevity of this little pearl of wisdom.
There’s lots of benefits attached to eating when you have a summer cold: energy gained from food is needed to help fight viruses, the food acts as fuel by helping the body to generate heat, and certain nutrients gained from food, such as folate and vitamins B12, C and D can contribute to the normal function of the immune system.
Chicken soup is a popular choice when poorly, and its benefits probably derive from its vitamin B12 content; fruit and vegetables would also be good options as they are usually packed with a variety of vitamins such as vitamin C and folate; vitamin D can be sourced from eggs, cheese, mushrooms and sunshine, so if the sun is out you could bask in its natural brilliance.
If you don’t have much of an appetite, you should try to drink vitamin-infused beverages instead. It’s essential that you drink plenty of fluid anyway when you have a summer cold as you’ll naturally lose more water through sweat, and also because you will have a constant runny nose! Fluids can also help to relieve congestion and shift mucus – nice! Try mixing Argi+ with 330ml Forever Aloe Vera Gel for a vitamin infusion, combining essential vitamins like folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin D in Argi+ and vitamin C in Forever Aloe Vera Gel.
Sanitise
Hand sanitiser is a great preventative measure that can kill off harmful bacteria before it infects you or others. You should always keep a pocket-sized sanitiser in your bag when travelling on public transport or when visiting highly populated areas, and you should always pop some on your hands after sneezing, shaking someone’s hand or touching doorknobs that may have been contaminated.
As well as preventing the spread of your own germs, hand sanitiser will also protect you from becoming infected by other viruses and bacteria strains when you are currently suffering from your summer cold. If you are already poorly, your immune system will have been compromised and you will be more at risk of developing an infection or another cold, so make sure you are properly protected!
How do you fight off your summer cold? Let us know in the comments.
