baby it's (a) cold.

I've been down and out this week with a nasty little cold that I've just managed to shake.  I haven't had a cold in two years, and I forgot how awful they are- the stuffy head, the foggy brain, the runny nose and feeling miserable.  Next time anyone I know has one, I'll certainly show more sympathy now that I have been reminded of how horrible they are.  In the absence of anything exciting happening this week (it's a different story next week!), I've decided to list a few suggestions that helped me through my sniffles.

1.  Cold Tea. 
This horrible tasting concoction helped me a lot. smash up a whole bulb (yes, bulb!) of garlic, and add it to a saucepan with a litre of water, 2-3 inches of ginger, 2 hot chillies and two lemons sliced up.  bring it to the boil and then simmer for ten minutes.  Drain out all of the ingredients, keeping the water obviously.  Pour the liquid into your trusty thermos and add some molasses and agave and sip on it throughout the day.  Be warned, you will smell like garlic, and probably dream about garlic bread but it'll be worth it.

2.  Supplement with Vitamin C and Zinc.
Vitamin C and Zinc are your immune system superheroes! Think of them as the fuel your immune system needs in order to run well.  The level of Vitamin C everyone needs varies, but try to take it three times a day.  I took two zinc tablets at night, away from my other vitamins.

3. Keep Clean.
I felt really gross when I was sick, and found that a couple of things helped.  I stuck to my skin regime, even when I just wanted to crawl into bed.  Keeping my face and hands clean made me feel a lot better.  I wore fresh PJ's every night and kept my hair off my face. It was the little things that helped.

4.  Fresh Juice is your friend.
We purchased a juicer last weekend and it's been my companion whilst I've been down with the cold.  I didn't have much of an appetite so it was great to have an alternative way of getting lots of nutrients into me whilst I was sick.  My favourite was beetroot, apple, ginger, carrot and orange.

5.  Don't be a fool and rest properly.
I think I made my feelings on this one quite clear. No one likes a snotty hero at work or the gym.  stay at home and keep your germs to yourself.

This list is not exhaustive - there are plenty of other things you can do such as drink water, inhale steam etc, but I found that these few things really helped me kick it pretty quickly and get on with a rad weekend.  

On Monday,  I'll be doing a one day juice cleanse, kindly offered up by the lovely people at Schkinny Maninny!  Whilst my diet is generally pretty good,  I love my morning coffee and avo on gluten free toast...I'm nervous about how I'll manage my day (and mood!) without them.  Check back on Wednesday for a full report.