How to Fight Off a Cold

Posted on : March 3, 2015  By : Wellness

The common cold is just that – common. Adults tend to catch two to three colds a year, while children are likely to catch between seven and ten a year. They are never pleasant, and can leave you feeling pretty grim and run down, so getting rid of it quickly is probably top of your priorities. Unfortunately, there is no magic cure for a cold, but there a few things you can do to make sure you’re back on your feet as soon as possible.

Drink Plenty of Water

Making sure you drink plenty of fluids is essential to your general health anyway, so it stands to reason that this should apply when you are ill. It’s easy to become dehydrated when you are ill, so keep a bottle of water on hand at all times.

Get Steamy

You can loosen up some of the dreaded mucus by inhaling steam. Do this by holding your head over a bowl of steaming water and breathing in deeply through your nose. You can also do this in the shower, so turn up the heat and get steaming!

Catch Some Zeds

One of the best ways to help you get over a cold is by getting plenty of sleep. It helps to boost the immune system, so it’s a great way to avoid colds as well as increasing your chances of fighting them off when you fall ill. Make sure you head to bed early, as 8 hours sleep is more effective when you go to sleep at 9pm or 10pm than it is after midnight.

Skip the Gym

When you’re ill, you have the perfect excuse to skip the workouts! Your body needs time to recover and heal itself, so it’s not the best idea to go for an intensive gym session. If you feel like you need to have a small workout, keep it as light as possible, and preferably in your own home to avoid spreading your cold around!

Here at the Apple Wellness Center, we have a medical office in Airdrie, so if you’re in need of a check up or are feeling a little under the weather, pop into our office or contact us by calling (403) 948-3342 to speak to a member of our friendly team.

Posted in : Medical