Reaching for the lozenges or Vicks might help if you have the flubut warm honey and lemon or even garlic and onions might be just as good.
Winter bugs have multiplied in recent weeks, leaving millions of people dealing with sniffles, coughs, temperatures and chills.
Unfortunately, the old adage is true: there is no cure for cold. Or the flu, for that matter.
But there are simple methods that will prevent you from suffering the worst symptoms and help you feel more cheerful – and they don’t involve taking medication or shelling out for expensive cough remedies.
Pharmacist Leyla Hannbeck explained that it is vital to stay hydrated and drink plenty of fluids.
A warm, sweet drink, such as a cup of lemon or blackcurrant honey, is a simple way to relieve the symptoms of a sore throat.
‘Having tea with honey, lemon and ginger is a great way to feel better,’ she told MailOnline.
She added: “Honey has anti-inflammatory properties, lemon contains vitamin C which supports the immune system and is particularly effective against respiratory viruses such as the flu virus and ginger has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. -inflammatory and can help relieve muscle pain related to the flu. ‘
There is no way to cure the flu. But there are some simple home remedies that can help sufferers feel a little better.
Official NHS guidelines say there is “little evidence” that vitamin C prevents colds or speeds recovery.
But one goodbye Evidence supporting taking vitamin C to combat colds, published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine in 2016, stated that data “show a decrease in the severity and duration of colds when vitamin C is consumed at doses equal to or greater than 200 mg per day. .
Likewise, a gut of chicken soup can soothe flu symptoms.
Indeed, chicken soup is a source of healthy, easy-to-digest calories and nutrients. Plus, it will help you stay hydrated.
“Chicken soup contains nutritious ingredients such as protein (in chicken), garlic and vegetables that help strengthen the immune system and fight congestion. Plus, it’s hot and the steam helps too,” Dr. Hannbeck said.
A 1998 study by the American College of Chest Physicians examined the effect of comforting broth on our immune cells.
It has been suggested that chicken soup may contain a number of substances with medicinal properties, including an anti-inflammatory effect.
Chicken soup can also be made with garlic and onions, both of which are sources of zinc, a mineral essential for the development of cells that form the immune system.
A warm, sweet drink, such as a cup of lemon or blackcurrant honey, is a simple way to relieve symptoms of cough and sore throat.
Some suggestions suggest that taking a zinc supplement might help your body fight colds.
A Cochrane Library goodbye studied previous data from eight trials involving more than 900 volunteers to determine whether zinc could relieve cold symptoms.
Scientists have found that taking small doses of 10 to 40 mg of zinc supplements over a few days could be helpful in reducing the duration of a cold.
However, supplements are not always necessary because this mineral is found naturally in red meat and dairy products and most people can get all the zinc they need through their diet alone.
Although taking supplements can help increase your zinc levels, the NHS recommends avoiding taking more than 25 mg of zinc per day, as too much can cause gastrointestinal problems and even weaken your immune system.
Adding garlic to food, including chicken soup, could reduce the length of time a person is sick.
A study by Sussex researchers gave 146 healthy adults either a placebo or a daily garlic supplement for 12 weeks during winter.
The group given the placebo contracted 65 colds, resulting in 366 sick days – while those taking garlic supplements contracted only 24 colds, with 111 sick days between them.
Chicken soup is a source of healthy, easy-to-digest calories and nutrients. Plus, it will help you stay hydrated
Other nutrients found in chicken soup may also have medicinal properties.
A study conducted during the winters of 2016 and 2017, taking a multivitamin containing vitamins A, D, C, E, B6, B12, folic acid, zinc, selenium, copper and iron can reduce the frequency and duration of a cold.
Gogol Mogol is another famous sore throat remedy that contains sugar, raw eggs, honey, milk and unsalted butter.
Much like a warm lemon and ginger, this Eastern European drink is thought to soothe the throat and make it less irritating because the honey and eggs coat the throat.
But no studies measure the effectiveness of the drink.
Steam inhalation, which can help loosen mucus in the nose and sinuses, relieve sore throats and hoarseness, is a remedy recommended by Dr. Hannbeck.
She added that a few drops of eucalyptus oil in warm water can also be soothing to breathe.
Professor Ron Eccles, a bioscience expert at Cardiff University and former director of its Cold Centre, also previously told the MailOnline that hot steam or a hot, sugary drink can relieve symptoms of a cold or cold. ‘a flu.
He once studied the effects of drinking a warm comforting drink on a stuffy nose.
The 2008 study Drinking hot black currant cordial provides immediate relief from runny nose, cough, sneezing, sore throat, chills and fatigue.
In contrast, a room temperature drink only relieved the symptoms of runny nose, coughing, and sneezing.
Professor Eccles said any hot, sweet drink should have the same effect.
He explained that the steam in the hot drink can soften and break down mucus, making it easier to breathe. It also reduces the swelling of a sore throat, but experts aren’t sure why.
A hot shower or steam bath is likely to have the same effect: relieving nasal congestion, coughs and sore throats, Professor Eccles said.
In addition to these home treatments, Dr. Hannbeck recommended taking over-the-counter pain relievers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen to relieve muscle pain and fever.
These can be purchased at a pharmacy, but Dr Hannbeck urged people with an underlying illness or who are taking other medications to talk to the pharmacist first.
Other treatments she suggested include saline nasal drops to relieve a stuffy nose, eucalyptus or peppermint ointments that can be used topically to soothe symptoms of cough and congestion, and Echinacea, a medicinal plant that has anti-inflammatory and immune system-stimulating effects.
Dr. Hannbeck stressed that those who find their symptoms are getting worse or not improving, particularly if they are having difficulty breathing, should talk to a healthcare professional.
