It’s COLD season

and I’m NOT talking about the temperature outside!

Mr. S has been in bed with a vaporizer going since we returned from New Hampshire. He’s sneezing and coughing and looking pretty miserable. I am JUST beginning to get that “scratchy throat” feel that means a cold is coming on, so I’m getting ready to come out of the ring fighting. Is it possible to actually PREVENT that cold from rearing it’s ugly head even when you feel it starting to come on?

MAYBE

If you start treating it when you’ve got the FIRST signs, there’s a better likelihood of stopping it from blossoming into something that leaves you feeling too miserable to get out of bed.

So, what do I do?

Decongestant – I grab my decongestant and clear up my nasal passages even BEFORE everything closes up. I do it as SOON as I feel that mucus beginning to form either in my sinuses, throat or chest. Whether I use a spray or pill form depends on where I’m starting to feel the pressure.

Chicken Soup – While I might sound like a Jewish mother (and yes, I AM), the fact remains that HOT CHICKEN SOUP can actually have a REAL benefit to colds in your upper respiratory tract. by relieving some of the inflammation.

Get some rest – Allow your body to heal itself. It’s always interesting when your body TELLS you that it needs to slow down, give in and head to bed and let you body get the rest it NEEDS.

Blowing your nose – Did you know that there’s actually a nose blowing technique that’s more effective? Don’t use brute force, as this could actually cause a reverse reaction called: Reflex Nasal Congestion. Simply blow each nasal passage SEPARATELY for a few seconds, switching sides back and forth.

Don’t wait to call the doctor – If your symptoms seem bad enough to be the flu. The earlier you tackle it the better, especially if your respiratory system isn’t feeling up to par.

Do I starve a cold or feed it?

Since you’re battling your immune system you need ALL of the help you can get (be it a cold OR a fever). Starving yourself will just make you weaker, and you don’t need that when you’re feeling punk. Remember to get lots of anti-oxidants, like Vitamin C and E.

Is Dairy GOOD or BAD when you’ve got a cold?

Studies have shown that while dairy products can make mucus thicker, a cup of low fat YOGURT daily can actually reduce your likelihood of getting a cold, due to the good bacteria that it’s stocked with.

I asked some friends and bloggers what THEY do to stay healthy in cold season

>> It seems that Lynsey Jones of Moscato Mom can’t live without her Grapefruit Seed Extract. She’s told me a FEW times how it’s keeps her family healthy, and she takes it year round as a preventative.

>> Home recipes are STILL some of the best available ways to battle that cold says Maryann of Mathews Puzzle. Her Lemon Salt Pepper Cough Cure is the one that she relies on to work QUICKLY when she’s feeling under the weather.

>> Hollywood Eye Magic’s Jessica Campo believes it’s all in the juice, and we all know how important liquids and vitamins are to fighting that cold.

>> I do the same thing as my facebook friend Amanda Henry does – take Echinacea and Vitamin C at the VERY first signs of a cold.

>> One of my favorite travel writers, Donna Hull of My Itchy Travel Feet knows a thing or two about germs, since she’s constantly on the go. She makes certain to start BEFORE symptoms occur by: washing hands more frequently, using a hand sanitizer at restaurants after she’s finished touching the menu and using a hand sanitizer after filling her plate from a buffet.  If a germ sneaks through she simply doubles up on Vitamin C, and uses a saline nose wash more often. She also gives herself permission to take things a bit easier!

>> Mom’s Lifesavers Christina Cohen stocks up on Oscillococcinum, Vitamin D, and apple vinegar tablets during cold & flu season.

My advice?

Stay healthy by taking preventative measures, and stock up on what you need in ADVANCE!

Photo credit: jamelah / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND