I Hate a Cold

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I have a cold. I hate having a cold. That is all. Actually, it isn't. Regardless of our ethnicities, nationalities, religious, or political backgrounds, I think the one truly universal thing in this world is that nobody likes having a "cold." The old dreaded "upper respiratory infection," complete with a nose that drips more than some waterfalls I've seen and sneezing like I work in a pepper mill. I also had the, ahem, "joy" of augmenting my cold with strep. I checked my throat this evening and it no longer looks like a teenager's zit-covered face but there are still a couple of white splotches back there. Thankfully, the antibiotics kicked right in and my throat feels much better now than it did just 12 hours ago (when it felt as if I had been eating sandpaper). If you ask ten different people what to do for a cold you'll get a dozen different answers. My 8th grade science teacher, in explaining the difference between bacterial infections that can be treated with antibiotics and viruses that cannot, put it this way: "If you go to the doctor for a cold, it'll last ten days. If you stay at home and treat it yourself, it'll last a week and a half." My personal take on treating a head cold includes: ZICAM: zinc. I swear by this stuff. I haven't had a really bad cold since I discovered this stuff. It's expensive (I use the generic, store brand version for about $4 less), but it's one thing that, for me, works and works very well. CHICKEN SOUP: "Jewish penicillin," as it's commonly called, has been researched extensively. Scientists cannot figure out just what it is that causes chicken soup to make people feel better, but they do agree that it does help make a person feel better. It doesn't "cure" the cold, but the approach has always been with an upper respiratory infection caused by a virus that you don't treat the cold, you treat the symptoms. And, for whatever reason, chicken soup helps the symptoms. HOT TEA: I love flavored teas, and when it comes to colds I reach for the mint teas. Much like the chicken soup, the warm liquid soothes the throat and helps ease congestion in the nasal passages. REST, REST, REST!: in certain parts of the country we have a tendency to say "I'm fighting a cold" or "I'm battling a cold." I think that's a very good analogy. Having a cold is tough on the body. Rest helps the body rejuvenate. It also has another good side effect: when you're asleep, you don't feel bad! When I came home from my occupational therapy appointment this afternoon I hit the sack, and I slept for about 2 1/2 hours. I felt much better when I woke up than I did when I went to sleep. Head colds are an inevitable part of life. Here's hoping you have discovered the "perfect mixture" of things that help you get through your cold quickly and with minimal discomfort!