Well, so much for all those plans for 2014. Any serious attempts at health and fitness have been shelved while I fight off a cold that I’ve now been suffering from since before New Year.
Thankfully Ultra Chloraseptic sent me a care package before Christmas that has been immensely helpful, it contained a mug, lemon and honey which I’ve been mixing with lemsips as well as this gorgeous fluffy pom pom scarf which is strangely reassuring to have wrapped around my poor sore throat at the moment! Sadly they were unable to send me any actual chloraseptic, but they did offer to refund me if I bought any, but I haven’t been anywhere that sells it, shame as it would have been handy to kill the pain in my throat!
Having had this cold for over 2 weeks now I’m feeling a little frustrated with not being able to get on with my life. It’s like being on hold. I can’t go running, I’ve been to Roller Derby training, but it was hard and made me feel worse, I can’t even concentrate properly on putting together a menu and plan so I have something healthy and nutritious to eat. Trying to soldier on with life as normal just ends up extending how long you are ill for, and I suspect I’ve not done myself any favours so far as January has already included two transatlantic flights!
So, I’ve given myself permission to take a week to recover. No worrying about exercise, plenty of rest and fluids and eating (mostly) nutritious comfort food without worrying about calories, carbs, or fat. I often find that all I need is to give myself a little time for self indulgence and “I feel poorly” wallowing and I recover much quicker.
Today I’ve been given advice to try to shorten the length of a cold ranging from nasal irrigation to zinc and hot toddies.
My tips are more basic:
- Sleep sitting up or propped up so your head doesn’t fill with snot while you sleep.
- Steam your head with eucalyptus oil or Vicks to clear your sinuses.
- Keep wrapped up warm (thanks fluffy pom pom scarf!)
- Drink lots of fluids
Medication wise I swear by lockets, cheap bronchial balsam cough syrup, vicks for steaming and rubbing on your chest, and lemsips for reassurance and aches and pains.
So, I have to ask, purely in the interests of scientific study, what’s your best way of getting over a cold?
