Yay cold season right? Not. I've gotten this far without a cold and after coming home from trick-or-treating on a cold and wet day, I've gotten a sore throat, stuffy and runny nose, and the pure delight of feeling physically drained.

Before, I just tried to sleep it off and eating soup and eat honey and stuff (like holy hell hot showers -...but with being a cashier at my first job, I think I'm gonna need to step it up.

Here's what I'm gonna try and do:
- tea before bed (because I actually like drinking it now and I'm in love with herbal raspberry tea)
- more hot meals (like soup and I want to stock up on my favorite spaghetti rings)
- more intake on Vitamin C-filled drinks such as Apple Juice and Orange Juice
- more sleep (which won't be difficult with finally being out of high school and only working about two days a week)
- gonna look around for vitamins to buy (ones with zinc or vitamin c in them)

So Mene. What's YOUR quickest way of getting rid of a cold?

I toughen myself through the fuckers because I'm that hardcore. >8C

Though if it's bad or if I know I need to be better quick, then I just take some antihistamines or something and try to get some extra sleep. Maybe indulge in some soup.

I've never really found vitamins C and D all that effective against colds, sad to say. My girlfriend probably knows all about what right supplements to take and whatnot but I'm utterly clueless about it.

I do my best not to get one.

But when I do, I take a ton of medicine and sleep like a baby. I also drink lots of orange juice and take Vitamin C supplements.

The thing with me is I always have bad reactions to medicine. It either upsets my stomach or makes me pee every single five minutes.

I've done some research (because i'm that much of a loser) and have done some things myself to where I've found a quick cure. My cold's basically gone now.

I bought 1-a-day vitamins that say immunity support on them. I take two of those a day. And when I wake up, I drink orange juice. Before I go to bed, I drink tea with honey. I try and eat hot, liquidy foods such as soup. I noticed Ramen noodle soup has really helped me feel better. And ice cold water during the day.

I'm upset with myself that I never took this much care before.

Drink tea (I've found coffee and me don't get along in colds)
Stay hydrated, mostly with water because I've gotten sick from too much juice before @.@
Still drink juice
MEDICINE! All the time
Vitamins - I have a multi vitamin pack that I try to take daily and I also have a wellness vitamin that has way more stuff in it than normal to help boost your immune system


Other than that, the scarf never comes off and the humidifier and heater comes out, regardless to the season.

Spicy foods.
I will eat a bowl of very hot curry, or a soup with a lot of ginger in it. Ginger, peppers, and garlic are great for their antiseptic properties when it comes to consumption.

This is what I do the second I get an inkling of a cold. It's all stuff that's very "research hasn't proven this helps," but my colds are always very mild and quick, despite the fact that I don't get much sleep and am a very stressed person, so by all counts my immune system should be terrible. It could just be a placebo effect - I feel like I'm doing something to help and that I have control over the illness, so it gives me more strength, as opposed to feeling like I'm helpless and at the whim of the illness.

• First I start taking vitamin supplements like crazy. Usually Emergen-C, Airborne, and whatever else along those lines I might have on hand. I try to take one of those every day until I feel better.
• I drink a lot of tea. If nothing else, it helps with the sore throat. I'll get a few jugs of Arizona diet green tea and just drink those nonstop until I'm feeling better.
• If I'm thoroughly and officially sick, I'll start on the apple cider vinegar shots. I just get a good quality apple cider vinegar (not that apple cider flavored vinegar crap), pour a small amount in a glass (what I could drink in one gulp), get a glass of water nearby, and down the hatch it goes. It tastes terrible, it burns, and it even can make my stomach a little upset. But it clears any annoying mucus trickle I may have had down the back of my throat, and some people swear it helps.
• I try to get more sleep. Obviously.
• I try to get as much fluids as possible. I mentioned that I drink tea constantly. I'll also have soups for dinner for added liquid, and just make a conscious effort to drink as much as possible.
• I keep up with any symptom-relieving cold medicines. They don't make you better any faster, but they make you feel less shitty, which is important.

when i get 'the tickle'
i take zicam
i also use coldeez
but i dislike them
lots of water, tea and vitiman C

COLDS, gotta love 'em, I have one right now!

Echinachea is amazing if you find one that works for you. I still use it at the first hint of a cold, but it doesn't have the same magical effect as the little brown gel caps that I used to get from Boots, those were like a miracle, seriously! One December I was hit hard by a cold; pouring nose, couldn't stop sneezing, felt like death, it was intense. I had to go Chritmas shopping the next day with my sister. I'd run out of these magic echinachea caps so I texted her to bring me some of mum's. I took 2 when she arrived the next morning, and 2 more in the evening before I went to bed, and the next day it was like I'd never been ill!! Sadly Boots don't sell the same stuff any more, and no others have had the same mircale cure ability, but they're still a damn good thing to take!

Garlic Kills all kinds of nasties, particularly if you eat it raw. But eating lots of it cooked is gonna do you no harm. Same as has already been mentioned; spicy food. Stuff that makes your nose run is great.

Liquid Bit of a no-brainer, but you need more if you've got a cold

Don't eat fatty food Fat increases mucus production, ew...


Basically, if you've got a cold, make yourself a big pot of soup that's laden with garlic. Add some chili in there too (preferably fresh). And chicken of course! Chicken soup being the Jewish panacea. So spiced, garlicky chicken soup it is!

Followed by tea with honey and lemon and early to bed.

Sounds good to me!

GRAPEFRUIT!

Every time I feel sick, or my throat starts aching, I eat a grapefruit. Then, everything is suddenly better. I'm not sure if it's a placebo effect with me -- because I grew up eating grapefruits to get rid of sickness -- or maybe it's the vitamin C content.

SLEEP!

I am glad to hear that you let your body rest. I know that in this day and age, it can be hard to settle down and get those necessary periods of sleep. It can take a toll on the immune system if the whole body's tired. I find that sleeping enough -- and feeling well-rested -- while not necessarily getting rid of a cold, will definitely help you feel better.

LEMON JUICE

I buy the large bottles of concentrated lemon juice. Then, I heat water to a boil and squirt some of the lemon juice in. It's extremely soothing to me, because I tend to develop a sore throat during a cold. Be warned though -- DO NOT drink concentrated lemon juice. I made that mistake once, and my throat hurt even more as a result.

CHICKEN SOUP

Take a big pot and throw chicken into it. Boil with celery, onion, carrot, radish, or whatever other vegetables you like. If desired, scoop off the top layer of fat and oil before serving.