Treating Cold And Flu Viruses Naturally
There aren’t many things worse than contracting a cold or virus while you’re out on the road. – Especially when treating it with over the counter or prescription medication may not be an option if drowsiness is a side effect. Here are a few natural options to get you through it, and back to functioning at 100% even faster.
Drink hot tea. Not only is a cup of hot tea soothing, and easy to make on the road – hot liquids also loosen mucous membranes to relieve congestion. Some of the best teas to drink in the event of a viral illness come from a line found in most grocery stores called Traditional Medicinals® Wellness Teas – two of my personal favorites being Echinacea Plus® (which fires up your immune system and has a slightly minty citrus taste) and Throat Coat® (Which actually lubricates and relieves a sore throat with its slippery elm, licorice, and marshmallow root ingredient line-up.) Throat Coat® does have a distinct licorice taste to it, but it does wonders for a sore throat – even if licorice isn’t your thing. Last but not least, is the Cold Care P.M.® tea which contains relaxing herbs and peppermint to warm and sooth.
Blow your nose. Don’t you dare sniffle! Be sure to regularly blow your nose to prevent mucus from clogging up your sinuses. Be sure not to blow it too hard though, or you could cause yourself to have an earache. The best way to do it, is to press a finger over one nostril while you blow gently to clear the other. Wash your hands after blowing your nose. This brings us to one more important decision, tissue or handkerchief? In an everyday situation, where you have a trash receptacle available at all times – the tissue seems to be a more hygienic option since you’re immediately disposing of the wad that’s more than likely to be teeming with bacteria. However, if you use the tissue method when you’re spending your days in a truck you’ll still be sitting next to your recently expelled mucus for hundreds of miles. This leads us to believe that in the case of a driver – neither the handkerchief nor the tissue win the race when it comes down to hygiene. The deciding factor should be whichever does the least damage to your own nose after repetitive use – so long as you’re washing your hands and wiping down your own steering wheel periodically.
Try to get some rest. It’s not easy to do, and naps aren’t always a plausible option – but if you can get in some quality rest at night as well as a short nap here or there it will do wonders for your ailment. When you’re sleeping, your body is working to heal itself. A trick for squeezing in a short nap is to drink a cup of coffee or caffeinated beverage before you fall asleep. It only takes about 20 minutes for the caffeine to take action, so you’ll be able to wake up without much of a problem. Find out how to sleep soundly at night: 10 Tricks To Falling Asleep Quickly And Soundly.
Take a hot shower. Not only will it relax you, and help you to fall asleep at night – but it will also moisturize your nasal passages. This also helps to loosen the mucus, and eradicate it from your system. Slow down a little, take deep breaths, and allow the steam to work its magic. You’ll feel relieved almost instantly.
Try a sinus rinse or saline spray. While you’re in the privacy of the hot shower, you may consider trying a sinus rinse. One of the more mainstream sinus rinse products is the NeilMed® Sinus Rinse. It’a a little intimidating (scary, even) the first time – but it’s essentially an irrigation system for your sinuses. The NeilMed® Sinus Rinse comes with a 30ml squeeze bottle, and a supply of saline solution packets. Simply pour in the packet, fill the bottle with warm (not hot) water, shake and proceed to “irrigate.” This process entails inserting the tapered cap of the bottle into a nostril, leaning forward, opening your mouth, squeezing the bottle, and allowing the saline solution to flush out the opposite nostril. More detailed instructions can be found here. A saline nasal spray may also be a good option for those not brave enough to try and irrigate their sinuses.
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