Home remedies for colds
While there’s no cure for colds or flu, eating properly may help to prevent them, shorten their duration, or make symptoms less severe. More than two decades of extensive research have failed to substantiate claims that megadoses of vitamin C can prevent or cure colds. While there is no evidence to suggest it will prevent you from getting sick, some studies show it can shorten the length of the cold or lessen the symptoms. Vitamin C is known to have a slight antihistaminic effect, so drinking more citrus juice or taking a supplement may help reduce nasal symptoms. One of the worst effects of high fever is dehydration. During a cold or flu, drink a minimum of 8 to 10 glasses of fluids a day in order to replenish lost fluids, keep mucous membranes moist, and loosen phlegm. Drink water, tea, and broth. Abstain from alcohol, which dilates small blood vessels and makes the sinuses feel stuffed up. Alcohol may produce adverse effects when taken with many drugs and reduces the body’s ability to fight infection.
