101 cold and flu remedies

[Annpan]

I have been suffering for the past 2 days, seems to be lifting now though... I had too much work to get done and couldn't do my usual (which is sit and rest and wait for it to lift) I doped myself up with iboprofen and have been sucking on lockets (they are discustingly sugary 4.1g per sweet) Now I am just drinking lots of tea.... please tell me they are better remedies - that work

1. Olbas oil seemed to do a good job over night, a few drops rubbed onto my neck lifted some of the congestion

2. fresh air, again seemed to help lift it... I guess it is better than wallowing in your own filth.

[old tree man]

Sorry to be predictable but i am a man large whiskey ,really hot bath , another large whiskey get into bed with a hot water bottle another large whiskey, sleep it off sweat it out and you should feel better real soon.
always works for me

Get well soon

Russ

[MKG]

For what it's worth - I once made a super-strong garlic mayonnaise. A friend was feeling particularly under the weather, but had a bit and went "Oooh!" Five minutes later, he was claiming it as a wonder cold cure.

[Annpan]

As helpful as that is... I have no hot water, so no bath and I am allergic to garlic (mind you I guess it would take my mind off the flu)

So basically all I can do is drink whisky (being a scot, I'll leave out the e )

[hamster]

You know what they say about colds. An untreated cold lasts a week, whereas a treated cold only lasts seven days...

However, in the interests of being more supportive:

5) water
6) fruit and veg
7) hot lemon and honey, with optional crushed up aspirin/whiskey/brandy/painkiller of your choice
8) zinc is meant to be good for the immune system
9) echinacea, but I think you're meant to take it when you're coming down with the cold
10) onion soup
11) sleep

Hope you feel better soon. ((((hug))))

[QuakerBear]

I'd second the whiskey but I'd also say honey, lots of it in hot water.

My best friend is always telling me to mix tumeric (as much of it as I can stand she says) in warm milk and drink. I've not tried it but she swears by it.

Get better soon.

[Mainer in Exile]

Hot chili peppers clear sinus congestion better than most anything else I've tried.

[Thomzo]

More prevention than cure. A friend of mine swears by cider apple vinegar tablets to keep colds away. I've been taking them this year and managed to avoid the BF's cold which turned into bronchitis on him.

I'd also recommend those nasty fizzy vitamin C tablets. I take one of those at the first sign of a cold with a couple of extra vinegar tablets and it seems to get rid of the cold straight away.

Zoe

[johnhcrf]

hot drinks, fruit, keep warm, good sleep

[Amaranth]

21) Use a sage gargle for sore throats.

22) Use olive oil for dry skin on lips.

[marshlander]

Sorry to be predictable but i am a man large whiskey ,really hot bath , another large whiskey get into bed with a hot water bottle another large whiskey, sleep it off sweat it out and you should feel better real soon.
always works for me

Get well soon

Russ

My OH swears by this remedy too! mind you, he only gets really bad flu and never a slight cold At least, if it doesn't cure you, you feel better about it!

My mum recalled having to wear garlic to prevent colds! Maybe it just kept infectious people away from you!

As to hot water bottle - have you any way of heating wheat, rice, dried kidney beans, baking beans anything, in the oven or microwave and put them into something - even an old sock to use as a hottie.

[marshlander]

Any better Annpan?

[Annpan]

Yes... I am now thankyou

It was a nasty bug that turned into a persistent sore throat... I forgot all about it in the 3 days that E was sick (really bad vomiting and diarrhoea) ... I was up all night and day either nursing her or trying to clean up the mess When E got well it was pretty much better.

Now JohnM has something... So I am still looking at the thread... nothing much new so far... I'll try to get JohnM to take a dram tonight (he doesn't really drink)

But yes I am all better Thankyou

[Brij]

I swear by hot toddies... In fact, I usually drink them all through the winter, not just when I have a cold. I also like to stir them with a stick of cinnamon, yum yum yum!

[ocailleagh]

I think this is 23: Lemon and Garlic soup.
It doesn't sound like the most delicious thing ever, but its actually quite nice.
You need some onions, 2-3, finely chopped,
at least one bulb of garlic, peeled and finely chopped (not crushed),
the juice and/or flesh of 3-4 lemons, plus the zest if they're unwaxed,
lots of fresh herbs, such as thyme, chives and parsley,
enough light vegetable stock to make it soupy (or chicken stock if you're that way inclined),
cous cous to make it a little more filling, wholemeal if possible. some precooked quinoa would also be good.
plenty of black pepper.

Ok, fry the onion in a little olive oil til translucent, then add the garlic and lemon flesh. Cook for a few minutes, then add the juice followed by the stock. Bring to the boil, add the cous cous and simmer for 5 minutes, and add the herbs. Serve with plenty of black pepper and maybe a little freshly grated horseradish (for the sinuses). The thing with this soup is that it needs to be freshly made each time as the goodness gets cooked out of it quite quickly.

24 (if indeed the last one was 23): Fruit! I recently started a fruit fast (a few months back actually) and the next day came down with what seemed to be the flu that had that week laid up a large number of people I know. I continued with the fruit (as it was the first stage of a weight loss plan I was starting) and got over the illness within 2 or 3 days. Completely gone. Everyone else had it for at least another week after me!
It was mostly smoothies and juices, and included a homemade spicy pumpkin soup in the evenings, though I think it was mostly the fruit that did it.