What's your favorite cold remedy

[Belinda Barfield]

Well, here I sit with my annual after Thanksgiving head cold, which will very sneakily migrate to my chest to become bronchitis next week. I'll round things off with a good case of laryngitis, also an annual event that my SO looks forward to with a great deal of anticipation.

If I don't travel over the Thanksgiving holiday I don't get sick. When I travel it's as if all the little germs see me and say, "Hey, there's a body that hasn't been sick all year . . . GET HER!!!"

So, what is your best tried and true remedy? I can deal with most all of the symptoms except the sinus cavities "stuffed full of cotton" sensation, and the pain in my head every time I cough.

My SO swears by his remedy which is as follows:
Build a fire in the fireplace. Place sleeping back in front of fire. Crawl into sleeping bag with one fifth of Bacardi 151. Drink entire bottle of 151.:eek: When you wake up the cold is gone. He didn't advise, but I would assume you don't place the sleeping bag, or the bottle, near the fire.

Personally, I don't have time right now for the monumental hangover that is sure to follow this recommended method of treatment.

Call ya' mamas, call ya' grandmas . . . I need help.

[Joe Pelonio]

I've always had to work through it, so the alcoholic remedies are out. Usually if the nose runs a lot I'll take actifed, and ibuprofen for fever, plus I'll drink probably a gallon a day of iced tea, and go to bed as early as possible.

I hope whatever you do works, but have yet to find anyone getting over a cold in less than 10 days.

[Charlie Schultz]

I knew a guy who swore by chocolate cake- eating a *whole* chocolate cake would make his cold go away. He also claimed he was from Jupiter. YMMV.

[Jason Roehl]

Raw garlic. It can be a little rough on the stomach, but if you chew a clove 2-3 times a day, most of your symptoms will be gone inside of 3 days. Garlic, when chewed/crushed produces a compound that is a natural anti-microbial. On top of that, plenty of fluids, extra Vitamin C, etc.

This also has the positive side effect of keeping others from getting infected, if you know what I mean. Yeah, you'll stink. :D

I'm going through the same thing right now. It's a little later than normal for me this year, though--usually I'm getting over it just in time to enjoy Thanksgiving. This year, it came on the Sunday after.

I like your SO's approach, though! :D No way I'd ever do that...

[Belinda Barfield]

I've always had to work through it, so the alcoholic remedies are out.

I hope whatever you do works, but have yet to find anyone getting over a cold in less than 10 days.

Alcoholic remedies are out for me as well. I just happened to have a doctor's appointment yesterday for some other issues. The doc offered to give me a work excuse. I just laughed and told her I would let myself go home early if really necessary.

A combo of Dayquil/Nyquil usually works for me, but I can't seem to kick the congestion this time. I worked for a pulmonary doctor years ago and he told his cold patients, "You'll be better in seven days with antibiotics, and better in a week without." I am supposed to go to a baby shower Saturday afternoon, and a Christmas party Saturday night. I'm guessing attendees at both would appreciate it if I just stay home.

[Eric DeSilva]

Drink entire bottle of 151.:eek:

Hmm... if I recall right, one drink will raise a 200 lb adult's BAC by 0.02, and one drink is 0.6 fl oz of ethanol. A fifth of 151 proof rum has 19.2 fl oz of ethanol (128 fl oz/gal x 1/5 gal x 0.75), so figure it contains 32 "drinks," and would raise your BAC to 0.64. Since a BAC of 0.25 will kill some people and 0.40 is the LD50 point (50% chance of survival)... I'm not sure I recommend the practice. That said, I'm pretty sure it would probably kill any bacterial infection in your bloodstream.

I used to perform a similar ritual, although slightly less severe--wrap yourself up in warm blankets, take a mug of hot water, squeeze in a half a lemon, a tablespoon of honey, and a couple shots of rum. Pass out. Wake up better.

[Bill Arnold]

http://www.jimbeam.com/images/jb_logo.jpg

[Belinda Barfield]

Hmm... if I recall right, one drink will raise a 200 lb adult's BAC by 0.02, and one drink is 0.6 fl oz of ethanol. A fifth of 151 proof rum has 19.2 fl oz of ethanol (128 fl oz/gal x 1/5 gal x 0.75), so figure it contains 32 "drinks," and would raise your BAC to 0.64. Since a BAC of 0.25 will kill some people and 0.40 is the LD50 point (50% chance of survival)... I'm not sure I recommend the practice. That said, I'm pretty sure it would probably kill any bacterial infection in your bloodstream.

I used to perform a similar ritual, although slightly less severe--wrap yourself up in warm blankets, take a mug of hot water, squeeze in a half a lemon, a tablespoon of honey, and a couple shots of rum. Pass out. Wake up better.

Thanks Eric. I should have posted a disclaimer on that one. I didn't think that much about it since I don't know anyone who could drink the whole bottle before they passed out. Kids (and adults), don't try this at home. It's a good thing there was someone here to do the math. I'm just going to share this tidbit of info with my SO. If his ears turn red I'll know he was out to get me!!

[Ben Rafael]

Alcohol when you have bronchitis is not a good idea, it suppresses the immune system.
The best thing you can do is prevent whatever you have from progressing to something longer lasting or more serious. I use Mucinex to loosen the mucous in my chest. I make sure my sinuses are clear since the drip can aggravate chest problems and make them more serious. And of course drink plenty of liquids(do not drink solids or gases).

[Belinda Barfield]

Sound advice Ben. I've made a note not to drink any solids or gases. :D
Now all I have to do is remember to read the note. I'm a little fuzzy mentally. I know this because I stopped by a local store earlier to pick up a piece of acrylic for a rush job. Instead of making the check out to "All American Glass", I made it out to "All American Glasses". They took it anyway.

[Bonnie Campbell]

As soon as we feel a cold coming on we take Airborne. Some say it's just psychological, but it's worked for us. Good thing since with LOML lung problems a cold could kill him easily. So we keep stocked up on the Airborne, or Walgreen's equivalent, and take one dissolved in juice.

[Belinda Barfield]

As soon as we feel a cold coming on we take Airborne. Some say it's just psychological, but it's worked for us. Good thing since with LOML lung problems a cold could kill him easily. So we keep stocked up on the Airborne, or Walgreen's equivalent, and take one dissolved in juice.

I''ve tried Airborne in the past, and couldn't really tell that it helped. I tried Zicam this go round, and can't really tell that it helped much either. Not to say that it won't work for others, like you guys. Maybe I didn't start it early enough.

[Chris Padilla]

Best Remedy: Don't get sick in the first place!!! :D :D

I bike to/from work and thus amass 28 miles per day. The 14 mile one way takes me about 50-55 minutes so I get a fair amount of cardio in 5 days/week. I've been doing this for the past 3 years and have noticed a sharp decline in getting colds. It seems my wife and kid are sick 5-10x more than I am.

[David G Baker]

I start with Benadryl because most of my head colds are allergies and not really colds. If it proves to be a real cold I switch to Dayquil/Nyquil like you suggested. Seems to keep me functioning. I also do lots of liquids. If I get a bad cough I call the Doctor and get come Codeine cough syrup. When I quit smoking 90% of my chest problems went away.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

The "cure" is time. There is no cure for a cold.
The best you can do is make things easier for your body to cope, fight, and recover.

Doctor Cliff's rules are as follows:

1.) No cold food or drink - period. Only Hot~!! This helps in two ways:
-------(a) Heat dilates capillaries and vessels facilitating blood flow sop the blood can transport toxins away and nutrients and antibiodies in &
-------(b) Heat helps create a hostile environment for bacteria and yeasts that will set up as opportunistic infections in your throat.

2.) No sugars - period~!! No honey, no syrup, no lozenges (All lozenges have sugar even the ones that claim they don't - they are playing fast & loose with words - they have dextrose etc in them) Sugars feed the bacteria and yeasts that are trying to set up opportunistic infections.

3.) Use Cloraseptic or any copy cat solution. the Pnenols in them kill everything.

4.) sleep well and often; ya need it.

5.) drink hot fluids; ya need fluid.

6) Stay away from me.

As an aside all alcohols are sugars. They create lots of triglycerides in the blood making it thick and gooey. Alcohol interferes with healing. So if ya drink do it in moderation and don't drink cold things.

[Doug Shepard]

Nasal spray (pretty much any of them) usually help unblock some of that stuffiness but wont completely get rid of it. One weird thing that seems to give me some temporary relief is sucking on an ice cube. Seems like the cold helps unstuff you briefly. Dont ask me why this works.

[Nancy Laird]

Belinda,

One of the best ways to avoid getting colds is to avoid caffiene! Believe it or not. Adele Davis strongly recommended the no-caffiene route to keep one from getting colds and cold sores (fever blisters) and canker sores. Seems that beverages with caffiene leach vitamins from your body when they are eliminated, and those vitamins are the key to keeping colds and cold sores away from you. When I went completely off caffiene, I went from having multiple cold sores and about 6 colds a year to going for 1-1/2 years without a cold sore and maybe one cold a year. But....disclaimer follows....going off caffiene cold turkey will put you in bed with a killer headache that will make you want caffiene. Best to gradually reduce intake until you are completely off the stuff. DAMHKIT.

Also, when I have a stuffy head, it usually clears, at least for a while, when I sneeze. So, keep some cayenne pepper handy and make yourself sneeze.:D:rolleyes:

[Karl Brogger]

So, what is your best tried and true remedy? I can deal with most all of the symptoms except the sinus cavities "stuffed full of cotton" sensation, and the pain in my head every time I cough.

Booze, Nyquil, and sleep. Easy on the booze (just a bump, or two), heavy on the Nyquil, heavy on the sleep. Lots of water too, hydration is important sick or not.

[Bonnie Campbell]

...... also use a saline spray/rinse in your nose.

[Matt Ocel]

Booze, Nyquil, and sleep. Easy on the booze (just a bump, or two), heavy on the Nyquil, heavy on the sleep. Lots of water too, hydration is important sick or not.


Way to go Karl, Thats my second best cold remedy.(but heavy on the booze)

Usually I just will the cold out of my system. :D:D

[Joe Unni]

I usually tell people, Nyquil and a beer before bed...Nyquil because it works and beer because the Nyquil tastes nasty!!!

What I did the last time I had a cold was to use Claritin-D and it worked quite well at keeping things clear. I had some left over from a sinus infection last year. At the time, the doc told me when things start filling up you need to get the schnott out of your head where it can fester and stew and become a breeding ground for infection. I tried it for a cold....coupled with an Advil for any accompanying headache or sore throat, lots of fluids and rest, I was good to go - and I didn't feel weird/off or drowsy from the medicine.

Good luck,
-joe

[Ben Rafael]

Best Remedy: Don't get sick in the first place!!! :D :D

I bike to/from work and thus amass 28 miles per day. The 14 mile one way takes me about 50-55 minutes so I get a fair amount of cardio in 5 days/week. I've been doing this for the past 3 years and have noticed a sharp decline in getting colds. It seems my wife and kid are sick 5-10x more than I am.

Sound advice. I never get colds when I am in good shape. If I slack off for a couple of months BOOM! Chest cold.

[Ted Calver]

I'm with Chris and Bonnie on this one. I run 4 miles a day and use the saline nasal rinse to keep nasal/sinus passages from drying out. Also use a lot of Purell at work plus frequent hand washing. Seems to work well for me.

[Phil Thien]

Black licorice throat lozenges. I don't think I've ever found any that are 100% natural (they always seem to have some artificial flavoring). But they have helped me reduce the severity of colds for quite some time now.

[Joe Petersen]

I been using the new zinc based products for the past couple years. Coldeze and the store brand. You have to take them the first day to work but they actually do work.

My son and I just knocked an oncoming cold out in a day taking the medicine while my wife and daughter have been stragling for a week and a half not taking anything.

I have to agree though, that being healthy and exercising is the best prevention. I never got sick as a teenager playing football, basketball, and weightlifting regular.

[Belinda Barfield]

Thanks again everyone for all of the wonderful advice. I didn't travel last year for the holidays and didn't get a cold. It is really weird, but everytime I visit family for Thanksgiving I get a cold. It is the only time of year that I am sick. Otherwise, I'm pretty healthy.

I typically work out three to four days a week. However, back in August I had some health problems, went to the doctor, and she forbade cardio until we checked everything out. Approximately $5,000 and a numerous tests later, I am cleared to "ease back into" cardio again as of last Monday. So, maybe being out of my routine for several months has something to do with how I'm coping with this cold.

When I got home from work last night I had a temp of 101, with chills. So I donned two pairs of pajamas, took some Tylenol, and crawled under my snuggly blankie. After about an hour the fever broke. Nyquil worked pretty well last night so I was able to sleep. I'm blowing my nose frequently and using the saline spray. I know, TMI!! So far this a.m., at 8:36, I've had three bottles of water - and no alcohol even though I'm sure it is 5 o'clock somewhere.

Thanks again all. Oh, and sorry Jason, I just can't do the garlic. I'll just take your work that it works!

[Jim Becker]

Chicken Soup. Really...

But Zycam does help, at least with Professor Dr. SWMBO and I, at cutting down the extent and length of a cold.

[Al Willits]

Chicken noodle soup..the cheap campbells version
Tea with honey and milk
Alkaseltzer cold gel tabs, use the night time ones if your home, regular if you have to funtion.

Works for me and the blond I'm married to...:D


Al

[Bonnie Campbell]

Sounds like the stress of travel illness. Your immune system really takes a beating around the holidays, add travel and often you'll get sick. Also with the added stress you had this year it was almost bound to happen. Hope you're feeling better soon!

I agree with the chicken soup. And if you don't feel up to noodles, just have hot chicken broth. It helps clear the congestion.

[Belinda Barfield]

Sounds like the stress of travel illness. Your immune system really takes a beating around the holidays, add travel and often you'll get sick. Also with the added stress you had this year it was almost bound to happen. Hope you're feeling better soon!

I agree with the chicken soup. And if you don't feel up to noodles, just have hot chicken broth. It helps clear the congestion.

You are probably right about the stress this year, Bonnie. I didn't sleep well for several nights leading up to the holiday.

I prefer beef broth to chicken, but on your advice, and Jim's, I have chicken soup slated for lunch.

[Chris Padilla]

The "cure" is time. There is no cure for a cold.
The best you can do is make things easier for your body to cope, fight, and recover.

Doctor Cliff's rules are as follows:

1.) No cold food or drink - period. Only Hot~!! This helps in two ways:
-------(a) Heat dilates capillaries and vessels facilitating blood flow sop the blood can transport toxins away and nutrients and antibiodies in &
-------(b) Heat helps create a hostile environment for bacteria and yeasts that will set up as opportunistic infections in your throat.

My wife is BIG on not having any cold drinks when one has a sore throat or cold. I never bought into it. Orange juice just doesn't taste right/good not cold to me! :)

Here are my non-doctor thoughts: regardless of the temperature of the food/drink one injests, it isn't going to stay that temperature very long because your body will warm it up to body temperature, right?

I know a fever is one way your body raises its temperature to fight off nasties but your whole body warms up.

Anyway...back to the bike to raise my own body temperature! ;)

[Rod Sheridan]

Here's my favourite

Add a small amount of honey to a cup of black coffee, add a generous shot of whiskey.

Drink the above and go to bed.

I'm not a drinker, I probably drink less than 15 drinks in a year, however the above cold remedy works great for me.

Regards, Rod.

[Greg Narozniak]

Booze, Nyquil, and sleep. Easy on the booze (just a bump, or two), heavy on the Nyquil, heavy on the sleep. Lots of water too, hydration is important sick or not.

Exactly the same thing I do when it happens. With two Children in Daycare I think I was up to 12 cases of Strep throat in 2 years. I started doing a better multi vitamin (GNC) and a 1000mg of Vitamin C and It's been almost 2 years since I have gotten sick. Maybe just coincidence but it's worked for me.

[Ken Werner]

Here's what the CDC says:

http://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/community/hcp-info-sheets/adult-nurti.pdf

[Ken Fitzgerald]

My wife and I use Alkaselser Plus. Seems to help us.

[Lance Norris]

Tylenol Cold and Sinus, Severe Congestion. I think everyone is a little different and you just have to find one that works for you. Tylenol C&S works quickly for me.

[Leigh Costello]

A warm fire, chicken soup, THE REMOTE, plenty of tissues, Mucinex for sinus, a thermos of hot something and 9 Hershey's Kisses. Gotta have a serving of chocolate, makes the misery less intense. Ok, sugar is the enemy here but that's the way it is. BTW, 9 is the serving size. Good luck and I hope you feel better real soon.

Oh, and a dust mask in the shop, you don't need to torture your sinuses anymore than you have to. Good luck, get better.

[Tom Godley]

I like to take a month off -- I find that if the location has no cell phone service or internet access I get better much quicker.

I think it has something to do with negative waves :)

[Jason Roehl]

The real bummer is that I gave up on OTC drugs years ago when PPA was banned. Cold medicine that contained that ingredient actually worked for me. I tried a few things shortly after and never found anything that worked well. Tavist-D was the bomb--it worked, and the only funky side effect was that my scalp would get a bit tingly. If I touched it will all 5 fingers of one hand, I could still feel those 5 contact points a few minutes later. :D Not to mention, I could tell when it hit the bloodstream--my sinuses would clear all of a sudden and I could breathe again.