What Winter Cold?

Offices aren’t the healthiest places in the world, especially now it’s October and winter colds are back to meet us like that person we bump into far too often, but don’t really like.

Even if you’re using hand sanitizer like it’s going out of fashion; your office offers the best private healthcare and your diet mainly consists of satsumas and Berocca, sometimes there’s just no avoiding the office lurgy. However, it’s never too late to stop the cold right in its tracks and cut it into a day of struggling rather than a whole week.

Here’s what you can try when you feel that sore throat settling in for the winter:

Reach for the Aconite

A homoeopathic remedy that works for many is 30C Aconite, you can find it in most natural health stores such as Holland & Barrett. According to The British Homeopathic Association, the remedy only works for sudden onset, so a sore throat or headache that feels like a cold is the warning sign that you need to grab the Aconite. The homoeopathic remedy comes from well-known deadly plant Wolf’s Bane, they look a bit like delphiniums. However, extremely small doses such as the 30C you can buy in shops have been used to treat a number of conditions from anxiety and colds for centuries.

Rinse your mouth out

If a sore throat is starting to feel like more than a dry throat, you could catch it out with an aggressive gargle. The most common potion for this is simply saltwater, but if the thought of saltwater makes you feel queasy then you may be better off with something stronger like TCP. It tastes absolutely vile and you definitely shouldn’t swallow it, but TCP fights infection, soothes pain and works miracles at stopping colds dead in their tracks.

Boil up a brew

A less revolting way of helping your body fight off a winter cold is by gently sipping on ginger and lemon tea, with added honey. Unfortunately, bags just won’t do, you need to get yourself some spicy fresh ginger and zingy lemon for the full effect. To get the full benefits of the ginger, grate it into a teapot (around a tbsp. should do) then add a couple of segments of freshly sliced lemon. Let the tea steep for at least three minutes, then strain into a big mug and stir in some honey.

Not only does this concoction taste delicious but it will get you feeling normal again in no time. If you don’t mind the taste, ginger is also an excellent remedy for any digestive issues so make sure you keep some in your spice drawer for after those carb overloads.

Down some shots

No not tequilas, although they could help with the sore throat, who knows.  We’re talking turmeric shots. Britain’s most trusted nutritionist, Jane Clarke, recently shared her turmeric shot recipe with the Daily Mail, a guaranteed ‘I’m a celebrity get this cold out of me’ relief when you’re getting the sniffles. All you need is some fresh turmeric, pepper and a cup of coconut milk and you can follow Jane’s recipe here. “The active ingredient in turmeric is called curcumin. Countries, where people eat high levels of curcumin, have low rates of certain types of cancer,” explains Jane. “Studies indicate that turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce our risk of developing conditions including dementia, arthritis, diabetes and heart disease.” There’s not really anything to not love about turmeric.

Exercise, sleep, watch some TV

We’re really sorry if none of the remedies worked, and you’re busy blowing your nose promising yourself to never bother using hand sanitiser ever again. Sleep is one of the best remedies for colds, as is food and anything that boosts your energy like crashing on the sofa in front of Netflix for the day. Exercise can be beneficial, but only if you have the energy to safely get away with it, and the cold isn’t on your chest.

The sweat and heavy breathing help to clear airways and refresh red blood cells so that your body is in the best possible place to fight the cold-causing virus. Just remember that if you’ve taken the day off work with a cold, it won’t go down that well if you’re seen out on a spiritedly jog or swinging weights around at the gym. Get well soon!