Stop Your Sniffles

Cold season is here and people have been getting sick and passing around their germs faster than a quick-burning joint. When you get the first signs of a sickness it's frustrating to know it's there and it's going to get worse. There's no magic pill to stop it and cold medicine may dull the symptoms but prolong your illness. What are you to do?

• Get your priorities straight: The human body is an incredible machine than can fight off illness the best with very limited to no food intake. When animals get sick they instinctively stop eating to allow their body to heal itself. Your main concern should be drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day (preferably more to flush out toxins), drinking plenty of hot tea, and as much fresh fruit/veggie juices as you desire. After making sure you're getting enough of those, load up on fresh, preferably raw fruits and vegetables. If you'd like a little extra, feel free to have some nuts, beans, or rice. Definitely avoid dairy, especially if you're prone to ear infections or mucous.

• Avoid smoke exposure: If you're a smoker this is a great time to test your will power and put down the smokes for a few days to a week. Try to avoid being near smokers and even limit your close-range fire exposure as smoke depletes the body's vitamin C and wreaks all kinds of havoc on the entire system.
  

• Limited alcohol: I've heard stories of chugging an 8 oz. glass of vodka before bed to sweat it all out, and if you'd like an excuse to get more incoherent than an Alzheimer's patient then you could try it, but I'd recommend doing some research beforehand if you'd like to go that route, although personally I really don't think that's a good idea. Excessive alcohol intake depletes the body of B vitamins amongst other things making your body have to work harder to run. If you must drink you shouldn't have more than a glass a night.

• Keep it clean: Hopefully washing your hands frequently is already a priority. Aside from that, sanitize the things that get touched most in your house: doorknobs, light switches, toilet seats/flushers, etc.. Replace your toothbrush every 3 months, and if you get sick within that time frame and don't want to replace a new brush, fill a shot glass with peroxide and soak your toothbrush overnight. I recommend gargling with peroxide before or after brushing your teeth as well.
  

• Exercise: Our bodies were made to be active. Being sedentary enables toxins to sit around longer which prolongs ill health. When there are foreign toxins in the body, a great thing to do is get your blood pumping and sweat some of it out. Try not to do anything too intense, maybe just some cardio. Listen to your body and don't push it too far.

• External hydration: The worst is when your nasal passages are clogged beyond your control. Sitting in a steam room or hovering over a steamer is helpful but mind-numbing if you're impatient like me. Try setting up a humidifier in you room so you get extra moisture while you sleep. It does wonders.
  

• Relax: Stress releases all sorts of chemicals that attack the body. Don't let it eat you away. Chill out and wind down with a hot bath or some yoga/meditation.

I've dodged a cold with this regimen many times. The worst I've gotten while following a healthy routine is the sniffles, scratchy throat, and some mild nausea that doesn't last more than a couple of days.