You can tell the winter is here, the cold nights are here, the weather is grim, it’s freezing everywhere and that only means one thing, the influx in people getting the common cold is rife. Unfortunately, there is no real way to prevent you from getting a cold and there certainly isn’t any cure for one. There are however, some treatments that can relieve the severity of the symptoms of the cold. In this article, we are going to sieve through the old wife’s tales to give you the best treatments and supplements to relieve the symptoms of the common cold.
Vitamin C
Taking vitamin C won’t, unfortunately, prevent a cold, but it may reduce the duration and your symptoms. There have been studies on how effective vitamin C is for the common cold, and it found that taking regular amounts of vitamin C supplements can reduce the duration for adults by 8{63cfa20b1fd6cb2819dcc7db460928fedeb3f375095c1bc18478773e499084d2} and children up to 14{63cfa20b1fd6cb2819dcc7db460928fedeb3f375095c1bc18478773e499084d2}.
The recommended daily intake of vitamin C for an adult male is 90mg and 75mg for non-pregnant women. There is a range of different side effects including diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and much more so it can be a risk-taking over 2000mg.
Lots Of Liquids
Drinking lots of fluids is good for your body anyway, but especially when you have a cold. Cold water may not be the best but room temperature is good. Other liquids that are great for when you have a cold hot tea, chicken soup and other nutritious liquids such as fresh orange juice or Lucozade. Liquids act as a sort of lubricant as they loosen congestion in your nasal passages and chest which help you to breathe easier.
Some liquids that won’t be good for you include anything with caffeine or alcohol due to them leaving you dehydrated which will lead to you losing sleep that you need to recover.
Honey
One of the oldest remedies known to man for a range of different illnesses is honey. If you are wanting a good night sleep to get the rest you need to fight a cold off, then honey should be your go-to. Just one spoonful of honey when you go to sleep can ease your breathing and reduce your coughing.
Probiotics
A new study has found that taking probiotic supplements can help to reduce the duration of a cold in terms of your respiratory symptoms. If you find a probiotic supplement that contains lactobacillus, L. casei 431, this can also help with your breathing. It is important to check the labels to see the type of probiotic in thee are it varies from product to product.
There are many old wives’ tales out there to cure a cold, and unfortunately, there is no cure for the common cold, just remedies to help you reduce the duration and the severity of the symptoms. If you are starting to get a cold, then it could be too late. By taking regular doses of vitamin C throughout the year, you will notice that your cold last much less than usual and the symptoms will be more bearable.