4 Steps to Beating a Cold Quickly

The common cold is considered to be the most common human disease and affects people all over the world. In a healthy person, colds usually last 3 to 7 days on average, often without any treatment. However, there are some simple things you can do to fight the cold off faster. Surprisingly, in Australia, more than 40% of parents purchase over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for their children despite there being little evidence to support the efficacy of these medications. Below are 4 simple suggestions on how you or your child can fight a cold off faster.

1. Eat nutritious food

You are what you eat. Food is fuel and food is medicine. When your immune system is busy fighting a cold, you want to help boost it as much as you can by eating foods containing lots of vitamins and minerals. You also want to ensure what you eat nourishes the gut and is easy to digest. For example, bone broth, chicken soup or vegetable soup. While you’re unwell, you may want to consider reducing your dairy consumption as dairy is pro-inflammatory and can sometimes contribute to an increase in respiratory tract mucus production which may prolong your recovery time.

2. Stay hydrated

Our human bodies are made up of 60% water so it only makes sense to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water. Our immune system is highly dependent on the nutrients in our bloodstream which is made up of mostly water. So, if we don’t have enough water, we can’t properly transport nutrients to each organ system. For an extra immune boost, you may consider adding some honey and or lemon to your water.

3. Rest and sleep

Cytokines are proteins that are released during sleep which play an important role in the body’s ability to fight infections. Also, research has found people who sleep less than 6 or 7 hours per night are more likely to catch a common cold.

4. Take supplements

The most common supplements that boost immunity are vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc. Also, if you can feel a cold starting to come on, taking echinacea has been found to be effective in shortening the duration of colds.