My 5 secret weapons for stopping a cold
Winter time. This year the El Nino’s frozen breath will reach a great part of the globe and bless us with nasty colds and flu.
Weather phenomenons aside, winter marks the time of the year when most people catch some kind of cold, especially if they are tired from their job, personal life or working out too much.
In this article I will share with you the 5 secret weapons that I use for stopping a cold in its tracks before it becomes a fully blown flu.
Secret weapon #1: Lemon gargles
Lemon is a powerful antioxidant and anti-bacterial agent. Its acidic nature can destroy pretty much any virus, especially in your mouth.
The moment you feel a cold coming on and that stupid itch on the top of your mouth, start doing lemon gargles.
How to take:
Just squeeze a lemon in a glass and gargle with it for a few seconds. Then you can swallow it. (if your cold is already too heavy and you have mucus or other phlegm, you can spit it out)
Secret weapon #2: Sleep and rest
If you feel a cold coming on, it means that you are already too tired. So make sure you get enough rest and good quality sleep. Supplements (see below) and herbs (Ashwagandha, Valerian root) can also help you with that.
How to optimize your sleep:
Check out my articles on how to improve your sleep and also learn more about my favorite sleeping aids (click on each one to read the related article):
-Glycine,
-GABA,
-Melatonin.
Secret weapon #3: Use herbs
Herbs are a powerful ally especially for your immune system. Reishi is a good example of a immune system modulator and cordyceps is another. But the king of immune protecting herbs is ginger.
How to take:
Take a spoonful of either herb (in powder form), 3 to 4 times per day for a couple of days. Of course, you can also use the full mushroom or ginger root to make a tasty food.
Secret weapon #4: Use Supplements
I have spoken about the wonders of supplements in one of my articles on my blog (you can read it here). Supplements can help you boost your immune system in order to help your body fight off the cold. Glutamine is amazing for that purpose (despite its other health benefits and muscle gaining properties).
How to take:
Take 3gr of glutamine powder, 3 times per day (morning, mid-day and before bed).
Secret weapon #5: Use food as medicine
This is a quote from Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine. All you have to do is eat the right foods that will heal your body. In this case you will need to focus on immune system protectors and modulators. Garlic, onion, hot peppers and other good quality (organic) vegetables and fruits should be your first line of defense.
How to cook a food that will heal your body:
When I feel I am getting sick, I make myself a soup with the following:
- 2–3 Carrots
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 2 big onions
- 1 cup of basmati rice
- 1/4 of a small cabbage
- 1/2kg of animal based protein (organic beef, animal organs such as liver, organic chicken etc)
- lots of spices such as sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano or hot pepper, ginger or galangal
Just throw it all together in a big pot with boiled water, wait a couple of hours, add a bit of salt and eat as much as you can or as much as your appetite allows you to.
Bonus Secret weapon: Drink water
We are basically made out of water. So when you are sick it is important to stay hydrated. Water will flush out the toxins through urine or sweat so that you can rid yourself of that nasty cold virus.
How to stay hydrated when you have a cold:
Easy. Drink water like your life depends on it.
So there you have it. Next time you feel that nasty cold coming up just follow these simple steps and you will back to normal in no time!
by Nick Sigma CWC, EH, E-YRT200
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