Inspirations by Emily J. Weitz

Here Comes the Cold

Spring is in the air, and just as we open our mouths wide, grins stretched across our faces, we inhale gulps of pollen, dust and germs, finding ourselves weathering the first few beautiful days of spring in our beds, with colds.

The golden rule when it comes to weathering the storm of the common cold is to listen to your body. This may sound simple, but most people have grown so comfortable with their routines that their body has little to say about it. As soon as you feel a cold coming on, respond to your body's needs. It's going to be shouting for hydration, which could be manifested in dry lips and skin and a scratchy throat. By immediately upping your intake of liquids, like water, broths and drinks that have limited sugar and caffeine, you'll start defending yourself immediately. Yet many people don't take the cues from their body, remaining true to routines and habits that may not serve them well.

For example, if you drink coffee in the morning, you'll probably have the urge to spoon those grinds into that filter even as you sneeze. But caffeine is the last thing your body needs when it's trying to flush out a sickness. Caffeine, a diuretic, dehydrates your body. So for all the water the doctor recommends you drink to help cleanse your system, drink even more if you insist on drinking caffeinated beverages.

Granted, we can't always automatically push pause on our lives and retire to bed to drink water. People depend on caffeine to help them through times when they might be feeling lethargic, and nothing inspires lethargy quite like illness. But even better than coffee are vitamin and mineral supplements. Emergen-C, which comes in single-serving pouches, is a mix that you pour into your water to make a fizzy drink. It's packed with 1,000 mg of Vitamin C, B vitamins to boost your energy and 32 minerals and electrolytes. Airborne, which comes in tablet form, is another great herbal immune booster.

Kids are at a particularly high risk of catching colds. The average child may get up to eight colds a year, just from the viruses and germs that are circulating in the air in schools. Hydration is key for them as well. But there is some controversy as to whether administering extra doses of vitamins, exceeding the recommended daily allowance, is healthy for children. Consult your doctor before loading them up on supplements.

The other thing your body will be craving more than ever when you're sick is sleep. While some people are addicted to caffeine, others are addicted to moving, working, and pushing themselves. Some people don't know how to slow down. And for these people, sickness is the body's plea to take it easy. If you feel sickness coming on, don't push yourself until a cold becomes the flu. Instead, nurse yourself immediately. Go to bed well before the late night shows. Take one day off when you first feel sick to sleep all day. Use your sickness as an invitation to pamper yourself. Take a long hot bath infused with essential oils like rosemary, eucalyptus and peppermint. In the end, you'll be more productive because you'll be back to 100% sooner. It may mean canceling a few plans or rescheduling a few meetings, but it will be worth it.

The main thing the common cold demands is time. There is no miracle elixir that will make symptoms go away, but by giving your body exactly what it asks for, you can speed the healing process along.

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