Dr. Ariel's Tips for Beating the Common Cold

1. Avoid sugar, dairy, fruit and simple carbohydrates. These all break down to simple sugars and provide food for bacteria, making it harder for you immune system to clean up the bugs. If you are experiencing congestion, you may also want to avoid citrus as it contributes to mucus production. 
2. Eat vegetable soup. This is the easiest for you body to break down and provides the best nutrients for your immune system.
3. Try warming socks! See a handout on how to do here. It's best to do this before bed. The alternating hot and cold stimulates your immune system and helps you breathe at night. 
4. Rest. We often think "I'm not that sick" and we continue on with our normal routine. This prolongs our cold because we don't give our immune system time to respond and clear up bad guys. 
5. Hydration. Water is the best tool that we have to break up mucus.
6. Avoid using over the counter treatments to decrease symptoms. While these can reduce your symptoms they will often make the cold last longer. The symptoms you experience are actually your body trying to beat the cold. 
7. Alternating hot and cold. Hydrotherapy (use of water for treatment) is an excellent way to get our immune system working! Try alternating hot and cold treatments to your throat or sinuses. My favorite method involves two washcloths, a medium sized bowl, water, and ice. Fill your bowl or bucket with ice water and put one of the washcloths in there. Warm the other washcloth under hot water from the sink. Apply the warm washcloth until it cools off then remove it. Apply the cold cloth until it warms up. Do this process 3 times ending with the cold cloth. 
8. Supplements. Probiotics, vitamin D, and herbal supplements can be very helpful during times of illness. This is where a visit to your naturopathic doctor (ND) can be very helpful as we can guide you through which supplements will be the most helpful for you.