It’s that time of year again, where the germs flying around everywhere! Most of the people around me are coming down with colds left, right and centre and I’ve been trying my hardest to avoid the dreaded sniffles, after having a nasty cold right before Christmas. However if I do catch something I’ve armed myself with some techniques to get rid, quickly! I didn’t realise, but according to scientists ‘man flu’ is actually a real thing (men aren’t just being whiney after all….shock horror!), there is even a hastag (#manflu) where men across the nation are moaning in force together, however this isn’t just a way to take the mickey out of our moaning male colleagues, husbands or brothers, studies have shown that men have weaker immune systems to women, leaving them more vulnerable to harsher bouts colds and viruses.. so, maybe save this blog post for your other halves too (and save yourself from listening to their moaning!) Here are my top tips on surviving colds and flu this winter…
1. Drink LOADS of water – drink as much water as you can to keep hydrated and flush the germs out of your system. Avoid too much caffeine as this acts as a diuretic which won’t help you feel better at all.
2. Rest as much as possible – this goes without saying, the best treatment is to rest so just chill out, get back into bed and binge watch that box set you’ve been wanting to watch for weeks.
3. Lemon, honey and ginger – an all natural cure, lemon adds vitamin C, the honey helps to soothe a sore throat and the ginger has been used to cure colds for centuries.
4. Steamy Showers – Even if you don’t feel like it, a hot shower will do you the world of good. The steam helps aids congestion and can help you to regulate your temperature too. Plus, you’ll feel all nice and clean and refreshed too.
5. Soup – packed with vitamins and easy on throat, soup is the best food for when you are feeling poorly. Although I always feel inclined to stuff my face with chocolate and sweets, stick with the healthy option for a swift recovery.
6. Garlic – Fresh garlic is packed with cold-fighting nutrients. It might seem pretty disgusting, but eating 1-2 crushed raw garlic gloves is meant to really help (it’s worth a shot!). My top tip is to mix the crushed garlic with other food to reduce the harshness of the taste slightly and maybe avoid personal contact with anyone for a few days too! 😉 7. Wash your hands – This is a really important tip and such a simple thing but when you are stuck at home it’s easy to forget. Keep washing your hands to stop the spread of germs and use hand sanitiser to make sure those germs are long gone.
8. Vitamin C – Some studies have shown Vitamin C helps to reduce colds and flu so make sure you stock up on fruit or juices, if you really don’t feel like eating too much – a supplement is good too.
9. Do something fun – It sounds cliché but laughter really can be the best medicine. Doing something you love or that makes you laugh is scientifically proven to reduce stress levels, which in turn will help you to recover swiftly. Make sure to take some time out to do something fun and you’ll be feeling better in no time!
If you’ve been feeling poorly this winter I hope you feel better soon!
Whats your top tip for quick recovery from colds and flu?
