How to Get Rid of a Cold & Cough

There's an old saying that goes "feed a cold, starve a fever," according to the book "The Healing Foods." Although experts debate the logic of this saying, eating the right foods and taking the right vitamins and minerals when suffering from a cold and cough can ease symptoms. Knowing the right things to intake is the key. This will not cure a cold, but it can help get rid of it faster.

Things You'll Need

• Water
• Garlic
• Vitamin C supplements
• Oranges
• Zinc lozenges

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Instructions

• 1

  Drink plenty of water. When you're sick, your immune system is in high gear and you need to stay hydrated to help your immune system work efficiently. Water can flush toxins from the body.

• 2

  According to the book "The Healing Power of Garlic, Vinegar & Olive Oil," garlic is great for colds and coughs. Add some fresh garlic to meals; eating fresh garlic is the best way to reap its healthful benefits. You can also take a garlic supplement, which you can find in drugstores and health food stores. Do this as soon as you feel symptoms of a cold.

• 3

  Increase your intake of vitamin C. According to the book "The Healing Foods," when you have a cold you should intake 500 milligrams of vitamin C four times a day. You can take one vitamin C supplement a day or get vitamin C from fresh fruits such as oranges.

• 4

  Suck on some zinc lozenges. According to "The Healing Foods," a study showed that the use of zinc lozenges in fighting a cold helped cold sufferers feel better seven days sooner than those taking placebos. Take a lozenge every two hours at the first sign of a cold. Sucking on any lozenge will also ease your cough.