How to Fight Cold Symptoms

Everyone knows that feeling -- the headache, runny nose, aches, coughs and sniffles that are particularly miserable at the onset of a cold. The common cold is not a single disease: Hundreds of viruses can cause a cold, and no proven cure exists for any of them. The most effective way to fight cold symptoms is to give your body the best possible conditions to defeat the virus quickly. A few drugs temporarily mask cold symptoms, but they offer no help in fighting the disease. Don't ignore the needs of your immune system in favor of temporary relief.

Things You'll Need

• Fruit juice
• Broth
• Humidifier
• Mild pain relievers
• Vitamin C
• Echinacea
• Zinc

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Instructions

• 1

  Resting allows your immune system to maximize its resources.

  Lie down, relax and keep warm. If at all possible, stay home and avoid any activity that places strain on your body. It's a challenge, but no weapon is more effective against a cold virus than allowing your natural defenses to reach their maximum strength -- and this means not wasting your limited energy on tasks other than recovery.

• 2

  Juice and broth maintain your electrolyte levels.

  Drink water, juice and broth. Avoid drinking large quantities at once, though: Drinking fluids gradually and continuously keeps you better hydrated. Water is essential, but it's not enough on its own. Juice and broth are better sources of essential electrolytes (salt, potassium and magnesium, among others) that are especially necessary if the cold has lowered your appetite. Maintaining a balance of electrolytes is how your body's batteries stay charged. When power is low, immune function is poor.

• 3

  Steam is a natural decongestant and soothes raw nasal passages.

  Optimize humidity. If you don't have a humidifier, breathe in steam from a mug of hot water or tea. Steam buffers your raw throat and nasal passages against harsh air and helps improve mucus flow, giving you some immediate relief.

• 4

  Take a mild pain reliever and a decongestant or cough suppressant. Nearly all products in the "cold and flu" section of the pharmacy feature the same handful of active ingredients in slightly different combinations. These meds can make a huge difference in how you feel temporarily, but they have no power in fighting the actual cold. Take them with caution, and don't ignore the more crucial steps listed above.

• 5

  Vitamin C and zinc are important nutrients in their own right.

  Try an alternative remedy: vitamin C, echinacea or zinc. None of these has been proven in clinical studies to have a significant impact on the common cold, but their popularity persists. Perceived relief from these therapies is likely no more than placebo, but the placebo effect itself is a powerful medicine and a major field of medical research.