Ah-Choo!

I have a little cold.

Of course.

Nothing major, just a sore throat, stuffy nose and achy body.

So, yesterday as I went through my Defense Against the Common Cold Checklist - I wondered
1) If I am the only person who launches a full frontal assault against a cold virus.
2) If I am missing anything from my arsenal.

Yesterday when I awoke with my scratchy throat I started the day with echinacea and Zinc lozenges.

First line of defense: the kitchen. 

Dinner went into the crock pot, soup went onto the stove and tea followed me wherever I went. (Just ignore the pink mixer - we'll talk about that in tomorrow's post)

I dress extremely warmly.

I drink tea and water until I feel sloshy. 


Then, right before bed, I attempt to induce a fake fever.

It is my understanding that cold germs like to operate within a fairly narrow window of environmental conditions,including temperature. This is why your body fires off a fever when you get sick.

So, in order to help things along - I take a super hot eucalyptus scented bath - sweating it out in the sauna-like conditions for as long as I can stand it. Then I layer myself in fleece and flannel and tuck my warmed up self into bed.

After gargling with hot salt water of course.

For a cough I put Vicks vaporub on the soles of my feet. This totally works. I use it on the kids too!.

For nasal congestion I swear by a Nettie pot and Breathe right nasal strips. Though, I don't own an actual pot, I just use a squeeze bottle of sterile saline from the pharmacy.

Clearly, I have made fighting the common cold into a rigorous battle.

Am I the only one?

Please share your cold fighting, or comfort inducing tips as we venture forth into cold and flu season...