I woke up today with a cold-first one in at least a couple years

[freeplessinseattle]

and it's August! wtf? I'm so annoyed, I have been eating better than usual (for me that means more than usual, but less sugar) exercising more, sleeping decent, no more stressed than usual, can't think of anyone I know that has had a cold lately except a friend 3 weeks ago. why would my immune system suddenly be weakened?

Please pardon my whining, I'm just annoyed and surprised. I can't believe I have a freakin' cold! No wonder I've been so congested all week, I thought it was just allergies, but now I have a sore throat and that chest cold feeling, plus the heavy head feeling. I sure hope zicam gets rid of it by Tuesday when I have to drive 100 miles to visit my mom for her birthday, I just need to get up the energy to go to the store to get it. crapity crap. anyone have any good homeopathic remedies to supplement? are colds common this summer where you are?

[interupt]

1. Know how you feel

Just got over the worst cold/flu in years. Took out my whole family and had me in agony for over 4 days. Chest and lungs just ached constantly. (guess who has 4 days of IT support calls in his queue to work through tomorrow? -whine-)

I think this years cold/flu doesn't really need a point origin contact person. I went to a party saturday and no one was sick and having a wonderful time. No sharing glasses or food contamination....then Monday BAM...joint pain and headache.

Reality strikes when you go to the Dr at 0700 and the waiting room is PACKED with people.

Just be prepped for winter guys, this flu is going to be a nasty bugger.

[freeplessinseattle]

7. damn, and I haven't had a flu in 7+ years, this year may be it

maybe I should get a flu shot, my first on in 7+ years, too. sorry to hear about your awful experience, glad you're feeling better. maybe the terraists are tainting our food, hmmmm.....

[For PaisAn]

2. Airborne

I use Airborne at the first signs of a cold. Works every time. If it's beyond that then lots of rest, fluids, juice, tea with honey and lemon, chicken soup, hot toddy, gargle with very warm water and lots of salt, vitamin C, zinc, echinnecia (sp?), the usual.

[freeplessinseattle]

8. ooh, good to know, I thought it was just a preventative for

people flying on planes.

[interupt]

3. Zicam?

Sorry I was confused about what Zicam was so had a quick look at it. (Sounded like and Antibiotic so was about to go off about using Abs...curse my previous nursing training)

Reading around on the net, I would be very wary about using such a remedy.

http://www.zicamsideeffects.com/
http://www.homeowatch.org/legal/zicam.html

For PaisAn is right on the money Best thing I have found.
1. Bed Rest
2. Increased Fluids
3. Asprin to control temp

[freeplessinseattle]

5. I'd heard it can cause lack of sense of smell

which could be good if my appetite is lowered, lol, that's bad for me to think that way. It's good to be able smell if something's burning-or if I have BO.

I think the people affected used zicam frequentely, so maybe with me it should be fine, I'v only used it a couple times in the past, more than 2 years ago. thanks for the heads up though, would figure that the one of few good cures for the common cold has bad side effects.

[interupt]

12. Heh you have no idea

would figure that the one of few good cures for the common cold has bad side effects.

The amount of people who take Antibiotics for a cold or flu drives me batty, but Drs give it to them because they raise holy hell that they are accursed with infection...sigh.

You have the right idea Freepless.

About the appetite; Wholemeal bread. For some reason bread with soups can bring your appetite back up.

[freeplessinseattle]

13. god, that is ridiculous, people think antib's are a catch all

and then wonder why they keep getting sick.

bread and soups, mmm, sounds good. ooh, fresh tomatoes on 9 grain toast, that sounds delish. I sure would miss the welcome smell of toasted bread and simmering soup.

[Merlot]

4. Tea!

Since you've already got the cold, what you can do at this point is lessen the symptoms. Try a good strong ginger tea. Also look into yogi teas, they have teas for symptoms. then put some liquid goldenseal/echanisa into the tea at least 4 times a day.

Don't eat any sugar or alkaline producing foods (milk, cheese, dairy). When you have a cold, your body has become to alkaline - which causes the congestion. Tomatoes are a good way to bring back the acidity. Chicken soup really does help, espicaly if you throw a fresh piece of garlic into it when cooking.

Threre was recently a story in the news about how echanisia won't cure a cold. I'm sure the pharmacuticals don't want anything as cheap and easy as an herb to be considered a cure. But really, it's not a cure and the story missed the point that it prevents a cold. I do find though that it also helps ease sysmptoms.

good health!

[freeplessinseattle]

10. thank you, good to know. and I love tomatoes

had one last night in fact, mmm. I'm vegan, but do eat way too much sugar, guess that's counterproductive. probably that blueberry tart I had the other day that put me over the edge.

[freeplessinseattle]

14. is fruit sugar just as bad? I just bought a couple lbs worth

and have been eating lots of fresh fruit lately, 'tis the season.

what about Splenda? I know that's got to be unhealthy in some way, it's too good to be true, "tastes like sugar bc it's made from sugar". I'm highly suspicious, but use conspicuously.

[Merlot]

16. Tomatoes are fruit!

Good question - I know processed sugar lowers your immunity, I doubt that fruit sugar has the same effect. I think a lot of fruits have the anti-oxidents in them that are supposed to be good for you (blueberrys comes to mind).

Never heard of Splenda. I only use raw sugar which hasn't hurt me.

on edit: If Splenda is made from sugar, then it's processed.

[freeplessinseattle]

17. doh! that's right, they are fruit! I have a pint of blueberries too

I'm sure Splenda's wrong in so many ways, I'll stick with berries and peaches, mmm. and tomatoes!

[SKKY]

6. NyQuil, NyQuil, NyQuil, we love you. You great big fu*&ing Q!!!!

It's the best thing about being sick!!!

[tjdee]

11. That's the best thing at night---ohhhhhh....

Love NyQuil.

[tjdee]

9. Echinacea, vitamin c, zinc, and goldenseal.

Had a law professor tell us the reason he never got sick was that he took echinacea and zinc supplements. And he was the smartest guy ever, LOL!

The goldenseal/echinacea mix is supposed to be great. But even echinacea by itself rocks hard. It works.

I think most Zicam-ish remedies, or maybe Zicam itself, is basically zinc.

I've heard some people take Vit. C. like aspirin every four hours until they're better--but that seems really weird to me, I've never done that.

[Kat45]

15. Yeah--ain't it fun! I've had one since last Tuesday, and it has

included a mother of a sore throat the entire time. Friday night, I lost my voice, which pissed me off even more. I was supposed to go to an old friend's party at his place at a lake in NH, and I couldn't go. Plus, the weather here is in the nineties and very humid--making me feel twice as bad. Last night, my eyes started leaking some gunk, and when I'd close them to sleep, the eye would stick shut. That grossed me out. This is the worst I've felt in recent memory, and the worst weekend as well.

If I still feel like shit tomorrow, I'll have to try to get a dr's appointment. Of course, if I still can't talk, I'll have to have someone else call for me. Man, all I've been doing is writing notes to communicate, and my writing is pretty illegible. This sucks!

[freeplessinseattle]

18. That really sucks, I'm sorry to hear that, and with the heat

must be ultra miserable. how odd that you and the other poster got sick around the same day, and I started feeling just..weird on Tuesday, I remember, I had to cancel some things I had planned on. wtf happened on Tuesday?


well, maybe it's the Clenis behind this, he's always good to blame for anything!