Cold-fighting practices to feel better fast

Coughing, runny nose, sore throat, fever... Does this sound familiar? If this describes you in the winter months, use the following steps to fight off a cold more quickly.

Having a cold or the flu can feel similar. The two share many of the same symptoms, but are caused by different viruses. Influenza is far more serious.

• The flu tends to come on suddenly, with a high fever.
• There may be aching muscles, a dry cough, and exhaustion.
• With a cold, you should start feeling better within a few days. Flu symptoms persist for up to a week and leave you still feeling tired.
• With a cold it's usually still possible to move around and function. With the flu you won't want to get out of bed.

Here are some tips to better handle your ailment:

• Always cough or sneeze into a tissue and wash your hands after disposing of it.
• Avoid close contact with others if possible.
• Those over 65, under 5, and pregnant women should seek medical advice. The same goes for patients considered vulnerable, such as those with asthma, heart or other chest complaints, diabetes or a weakened immune system.

A cough is the body's way of clearing mucus or irritants from the throat and lungs. It's usually caused by a respiratory tract infection resulting from a virus, such as a cold, the flu, or bronchitis.

• For a dry, throaty cough (one that produces no phlegm), make a warm drink of honey and lemon. The honey coats the throat, relieving the irritation that causes coughing, and is mildly antibacterial.
• For a chesty cough that produces phlegm, ask your pharmacist to recommend an expectorant cough medicine. This helps to loosen up mucus, making it easier to cough it up and get it out of your system.
• Avoid spreading germs by coughing into your elbow. If you cough into your hands, wash them.
• Consult your doctor if your cough persists for more than two weeks, if it's getting progressively worse, or if you cough up blood.

• Make a honey gargle: Soothing honey coats the throat. Stir 10 ml (2 tsp) into 250 ml (1 c) of warm water and gargle with it two to three times a day.
• To help to cleanse the throat of phlegm, dissolve 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) of sea salt into a cup of warm water and gargle two to three times a day.
• Drink plenty of fluids. This helps to keep the mucus membrane moist and relieves a ticklish sore throat.
• Take a mild painkiller. (Buy child-friendly versions and check dosages when medicating children.)
• Avoid cigarettes.
• If your sore throat is accompanied by a fever, severe pain, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, see your doctor.

Being sick is the worst, but it's often an inevitable part of the season. If you're suffering from a cold, use these tips to fight back. You'll be back to feeling healthy and strong in no time.