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Cody Dawg · Feb 26, 2005, 04:32 PM

I have a cold. Upper respiratory congestion, coughing, the whole deal.

What are some remedies that WORK?

I'm juicing and taking vitamins. Don't believe in taking over-the-counter crap because those things treat the symptoms while polluting the body.

So, any thoughts are appreciated.

<sniffle>

Stradlater · Feb 26, 2005, 04:40 PM

A new study shows a chemical in dark chocolate is slightly more effective in suppressing a cough than cough medicines.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4032585.stm

Eat up and enjoy

Oisín · Feb 26, 2005, 04:53 PM

First off, welcome to the club - I'm down to coughing and sniffing now, but for the past week, I've been through everything from fever nightmares/deliria over throwing up stomach acid, to fainting (unfortunately not in my room with a nice carpet, but out in the hall where keeling over backwards does indeed leave you with a big, fat bump on the back of your head!), so I'm feeling your pain, literally

Originally posted by Cody Dawg:
I have a cold. Upper respiratory congestion, coughing, the whole deal.

What are some remedies that WORK?

If your throat hurts a lot too, don't drink juice, it makes it worse; just take the vitamins.

For the sore throat of course drink lots of hot tea with milk and honey, or just hot milk with honey, or hot ginger tea (but careful, that stuff is extremely strong - it tastes like drinking pepper, and you shouldn't drink too much of it, no more than a cup a day or so!).

For the cough, if you have it available, try rubbing your chest with some camphorated oil, or even better if you can get to some, camphorated peppermint oil.

Stradlater · Feb 26, 2005, 04:58 PM

Originally posted by Ois�n:
If your throat hurts a lot too, don't drink juice, it makes it worse; just take the vitamins.

Make sure you take vitamins when you're sitting up or are up-and-about in general, though. Also, take them with meals (esp. if fat-soluble, but water soluble are easier on somewhat-full stomachs, too).

It's not a good idea to take vitamins and lay down (screws up digestion and dissolving).

RAILhead · Feb 26, 2005, 05:00 PM

MUCINEX.

Works like a charm.

Maury

paully dub · Feb 26, 2005, 05:04 PM

Ginger is great. Make some ginger tea (raw ginger in boiling water). Add honey if you want. When I was in Japan someone mentioned keeping a slice of it between my gums and cheek in the evening. Anyway ginger is good for a cold because it'll your body warm and stimulate perspiration.

A more strange remedy for a chest cold was konyaku. You buy a brick of this slimy stuff, boil it nice and hot in water and then wrap in a cloth and put it on your back for a while, till it cools down. It's weird, but I tried it when I was there as I had the worse cough/chest cold and it worked. Old wives tale, or what, I dunno.

Anyway try ginger - it's the Japanese way.

Apple Pro Underwear · Feb 26, 2005, 05:08 PM

vitamin C in 500mg doses works to shorten the length of colds. this was proven in clinical stidies awhile back. plus, Vitamin C poses no unnecessary harm to your body is readily available.

paully dub · Feb 26, 2005, 05:28 PM

Vitamin c supposedly stimulates your immune system (acts on the white blood cells which fight foreign microbes.

Besides ginger, garlic and chilis are mucokinetic, which mean they move mucus and clear you up.

Cody Dawg · Feb 26, 2005, 05:41 PM

Thank you very much.

phantomdragonz · Feb 26, 2005, 06:10 PM

at least i am not the only one!!! I have runny nose, a feaver that started today...

anyways since I work at a "Natural foods" store, i get a lot of the holistic remidies and such, so I have been taking this product called "Cold Snap" and another product by "alcer" called "emergen-c" it has 1000mg of vitamin c and a lot of other good stuff in it...

all that along with Sudafed and Advil....

Info about Emergen-c

Cold Snap...

Ingredients: Forsythia, Lonicera, Tang Kuei, Phragmites, Arctium, Soja, Bamboo Leaves, Peony, Platycodon, Bupleurum, Scute, Cnidium, Ginseng, Rehmannia, Licorice, Jujube, Pinellia, Ginger, Schizonepeta, Mentha, and a corn starch excipient

Zach

Cody Dawg · Feb 26, 2005, 06:32 PM

Now THAT looks like a great product and right up my alley.

Thanks!

Now, is it "Starve a cold and feed a fever," or "Starve a fever and feed a cold?"

That always makes me wonder...

paully dub · Feb 26, 2005, 06:47 PM

Originally posted by Cody Dawg:
Now THAT looks like a great product and right up my alley.

Thanks!

Now, is it "Starve a cold and feed a fever," or "Starve a fever and feed a cold?"

That always makes me wonder...

feed a cold, starve a fever. Fever reduces your appetite. I also remember from school that digestive enzymes are sensitive to changes in body temperature, thus a fever means they don't work, or are expelled.

But usually when you have a fever, you're not hungry, those medicines that reduce fever, however don't always help your body to fight the cold - they just cover the symptoms.

Cody Dawg · Feb 26, 2005, 06:48 PM

Is that you in your sig paully dub?

paully dub · Feb 26, 2005, 06:51 PM

No. It's just a stupid baseball thing. A buncha loveable overpaid losers. Ask ManofSteal...

Mastrap · Feb 26, 2005, 06:53 PM

Chicken soup. Jewish penecillin. While it doesn't cure the cold it does alleviate the symptoms. And all without chemicals.

E's Lil Theorem · Feb 26, 2005, 11:35 PM

Originally posted by Mastrap:
Chicken soup. Jewish penecillin. While it doesn't cure the cold it does alleviate the symptoms. And all without chemicals.

Not sure about the Jewish part, but chicken soup always helps me when I have a cold

i_rooster · Feb 27, 2005, 01:28 AM

Fight it out if you can or just take the medications, may help you psychologically. Those bastard virii are incredibly smart for medications.

Lancer409 · Feb 27, 2005, 01:58 AM

Originally posted by paully dub:

Anyway try ginger - it's the Japanese way.

My mom used to boil cola (coca-cola or pepsi or generic .. shouldnt matter) with lemon slices and ginger. drink warm ... tastes kinda wierd and it's flat .. no bubbles... but it seems to help

maybe it's really the ginger ... and the cola was to make it palatable to me and my brother ... as we were finicky when we were younger...

RobOnTheCape · Feb 27, 2005, 04:50 AM

I've read that zinc tablets reduce the number of days a cold lingers by a few. Most taste pretty nasty though. Always notice about this time that when going to a pharmacy the racks of cough drops usually have an empty section, and this is where the zinc usually is. It runs out pretty quick.

sugar_coated · Feb 27, 2005, 07:30 PM

Suffering due to a disease is inevitable.

ManOfSteal · Feb 27, 2005, 08:08 PM

Originally posted by sugar_coated:
Suffering due to a disease is inevitable.

Suffering through all your posts is inevitable.

argod · Feb 27, 2005, 08:29 PM

I take ginger root for my coughs. It stops the post nasal drip.

1. cut a small piece of ginger root (go to the store).

step 2 and 3 are optional, helps in the taste
2. darken both sides on stove where it burns a bit.
3. add 1/4 of pinch (very little) salt.
4. put it in your mouth, biting it every so oftern.

angelmb · Feb 28, 2005, 08:06 AM

Philips Infraphil HP 3614

dreilly1 · Feb 28, 2005, 09:02 AM

Originally posted by RAILhead:
MUCINEX.

Works like a charm.

Maury

I'll second the vote for Mucinex. The reason why it works so well, though, is because each tablet is like three full doses of cough syrup. Taking two tablets is like swallowing a quarter of a bottle of Robitussin, without the aftertaste.

I managed to get a cold this weekend, too. Ever since I had to go on allergy medicine, I've had more colds and those colds last a day or two longer than usual. My allergist insists that the Allegra has nothing to do with it, but I have my doubts...

I'll have to try that Ginger thing next time. I get fresh ginger for stir-fry occasionally, but there's none in the house now...

sgb · Feb 28, 2005, 10:39 AM

maybe not the most natural remedy, but dayquil in the morning and nitequil before i go to bed. whenever i am in the states i get the walmart rip off equate brand, highly recommeded.

good luck with your cold!

Cody Dawg · Feb 28, 2005, 11:45 AM

Well, it's much worse. Now I'm here with a 103f temperature and alternately sweating and freezing. Last night I changed the sheets on my bed twice because they were drenched from sweat.

I'm not feeling very well.

Suffering through all your posts is inevitable.

THAT made me laugh, though.

BRussell · Feb 28, 2005, 11:54 AM

Here's a weird one. It's not for a cough, and it's probably more preventative than palliative. But I know a number of respiratory specialist-types who regularly do nasal irrigation.

You get some salt water, put it in a dropper, tilt your head way down to the side, and squirt it in one nostril until it comes out the other. Leaves your sinuses, and maybe even your brain, clean and shiny new.

paul w · Feb 28, 2005, 11:59 AM

Originally posted by BRussell:
Here's a weird one. It's not for a cough, and it's probably more preventative than palliative. But I know a number of respiratory specialist-types who regularly do nasal irrigation.

You get some salt water, put it in a dropper, tilt your head way down to the side, and squirt it in one nostril until it comes out the other. Leaves your sinuses, and maybe even your brain, clean and shiny new.

gargling warm salt water is good for a sore throat. aweful, but effective.

dreilly1 · Feb 28, 2005, 12:15 PM

Originally posted by BRussell:
Here's a weird one. It's not for a cough, and it's probably more preventative than palliative. But I know a number of respiratory specialist-types who regularly do nasal irrigation.

You get some salt water, put it in a dropper, tilt your head way down to the side, and squirt it in one nostril until it comes out the other. Leaves your sinuses, and maybe even your brain, clean and shiny new.

Yup, I do this every week or so, now. One of my allergy symptoms (which is worst this time of year, mostly due to mold in my house and at work) is that my right ear gets quite stuffed up, even with all the other allergy medicine I'm taking. Doing this loosens things up back there, and unplugs it.

I don't do it when I'm sick, though, because I'm afraid it would spread things around and make stuff worse. So not only was I totally drained of energy this weekend, but I could barely hear anything out of that ear!

Mastrap · Feb 28, 2005, 12:37 PM

I've only ever seen these for sale in Germany, so last time I was there I made sure to pick one up. You fill the tank with hand-warm salt water, cover an air hole at the top with your finger and insert the nozzle into your nostril. Gravity forces the water up your nose and out of the opposite nostril.

It's a great, and safe, way to remove mucus and improve your breathing.

paully dub · Feb 28, 2005, 12:39 PM

Originally posted by Mastrap:

I've only ever seen these for sale in Germany, so last time I was there I made sure to pick one up. You fill the tank with hand-warm salt water, cover an air hole at the top with your finger and insert the nozzle into your nostril. Gravity forces the water up your nose and out of the opposite nostril.

It's a great, and safe, way to remove mucus and improve your breathing.

It's like a home enema kit for your nose!

wdlove · Feb 28, 2005, 12:42 PM

I wish you all the best Cody Dawg, you are in my thoughts. "The cold will like approximately either 7 days or a week."

Cody Dawg · Feb 28, 2005, 01:19 PM

Thank you, WDLove...I feel your kindness and appreciate it.

Well, the positive in all of this is that my body is flushed of many toxins because I'm drinking water and Gatorade and sweating profusely.

Oh, and I'll lose some weight, too.

I have a strange craving for cucumbers, however.

IceBreaker · 02:30 PM

I use Cold-Eeeze� cold drop lozenges.. they work.

I started getting a cold on Saturday, I ran to the drug store and got them and started taking them and I'm just about over it already today on Monday afternoon. Also it reduces the severity of the cold symptoms which is a big plus...on the label it says reduces severity of symptoms by 42% and duration by 3-4 days in two double blind placebo controlled clinical studies published in the Annals of Internal Medicine Vol 125 #2, July 1996 and at Dartmouth College, Journal of International Medicine Research Vol 20 #3, June 1992.

You are supposed to start taking them at the first sign of a cold (within 48 hours) for best results.

I've used the stuff in the past and it really does work, ..something about the zinc in them..read below for info on that, sounds like a big advertisement but it is a product that realy does work and I swear by.

from the Cold-Eeeze website:

http://www.coldeeze.com/clinical_info/overview.html

The COLD-EEZE� theory: Attack the cold virus (see clinical overview)
� 80% of colds are due to the rhinovirus.
� Rhinoviruses have a negative (-) molecular charge.
� Zinc ions have a positive (+) molecular charge.
� Zinc ions are attracted to the rhinovirus like metal filings to a magnet.
� They keep the rhinovirus from effectively reproducing.
� Other forms of zinc are sold as dietary supplements to aid the immune system. However, only ionizing zinc delivered to the mucosal surface have shown positive clinical results.
� Because of its unique formula, COLD-EEZE� delivers 92% +/- (3%) of its available zinc ions to the mucosal surface.
� Common pharmaceutical sweeteners such as sorbitol, mannitol, ascorbic and citric acids will render it unable to ionize.
� These pharmaceutical sweeteners are not present in COLD-EEZE�, but are present in most other zinc products. Check all labels before purchasing.

Zimphire · Feb 28, 2005, 01:41 PM

Originally posted by Cody Dawg:
]Don't believe in taking over-the-counter crap because those things treat the symptoms while polluting the body.
\

Most anything you are going to take will "pollute" the body.

Go to the ER, and ask for some Tussionex.

You'll thank me later.

Cody Dawg · Feb 28, 2005, 01:57 PM

What is that, Zimph?

I'm just trying to let my body do it's thing with the fever and cooking the virus/germs and killing it.

In the meantime, it's interesting having a high fever: You actually feel happy or giddy or something.

Millennium · Feb 28, 2005, 02:02 PM

I've always found that lots of sleep helps me shake off a cold. Then again, lots of sleep seems to be able to help me shake off almost anything.

legacyb4 · Feb 28, 2005, 02:13 PM

Good call; was just going to suggest that for nasal congestion.

It's a bit hard to get used to (and a bit unnatural to do), but snorting warm water in the shower is a great way to clear nasal congestion.

Originally posted by Mastrap:

I've only ever seen these for sale in Germany, so last time I was there I made sure to pick one up. You fill the tank with hand-warm salt water, cover an air hole at the top with your finger and insert the nozzle into your nostril. Gravity forces the water up your nose and out of the opposite nostril.

It's a great, and safe, way to remove mucus and improve your breathing.

ReggieX · 11:47 PM

Originally posted by Cody Dawg:
Well, the positive in all of this is that my body is flushed of many toxins because I'm drinking water and Gatorade and sweating profusely.

"Toxins."

Suuuure.

Zimphire · Feb 28, 2005, 02:21 PM

Originally posted by Cody Dawg:
What is that, Zimph?

I'm just trying to let my body do it's thing with the fever and cooking the virus/germs and killing it.

In the meantime, it's interesting having a high fever: You actually feel happy or giddy or something.

You think you feel giddy now, try the Tussionex.

Twilly Spree · Feb 28, 2005, 02:42 PM

Originally posted by BRussell:
Here's a weird one. It's not for a cough, and it's probably more preventative than palliative. But I know a number of respiratory specialist-types who regularly do nasal irrigation.

You get some salt water, put it in a dropper, tilt your head way down to the side, and squirt it in one nostril until it comes out the other. Leaves your sinuses, and maybe even your brain, clean and shiny new.

AHAHAHA!!

I remember seeing photos of people pouring that through their noses and smiling like it was not just something pleasant but also quite normal

Cody Dawg · Feb 28, 2005, 04:39 PM

Zimphire: You jogged my memory. IF I remember correctly, that is a cough syrup with Vicodin in it, correct? Or Hydrocodone? I remember going to Mardi Gras a few years ago and I was SO sick and I was at the ER and they gave me a big bottle of that and I was VERY happy...I remember thinking, "Gee, a cold and a sore throat are nothing when you take this stuff!"

You sure know your meds - if that's the stuff I'm talking about!

But, I'm on a kick lately to ingest as few chemicals as possible.

The weird thing is that I have very little congestion right now. I was coughing and wheezing and sneezing and then last night it kind of seemed to go away and now I have a high fever in place of all of that. Even walking across the room looks really weird - like everything is distorted. The floor looks really close or alternately really far away, or I can't feel my feet touching the floor.

Weird.

Oisín · Feb 28, 2005, 04:48 PM

Originally posted by Cody Dawg:
The weird thing is that I have very little congestion right now. I was coughing and wheezing and sneezing and then last night it kind of seemed to go away and now I have a high fever in place of all of that. Even walking across the room looks really weird - like everything is distorted. The floor looks really close or alternately really far away, or I can't feel my feet touching the floor.

Weird.

Careful with that. That's how I was feeling last Tuesday when I keeled over backwards and cracked my head on the floor. And no, a big crack on the back of the head does not make your fever any better.

Cody Dawg · Feb 28, 2005, 05:15 PM

Seriously?

Are you okay?

Do we have the same virus?

Sorry that you hurt your head. I'm eating fried onions right now. I remember when I was small that my grandmother would make me eat a big plate of fried peppered onions. For some reason it seemed to help. The smell of them frying sure does open up the nasal passageways.

phantomdragonz · Feb 28, 2005, 05:28 PM

ok, all you people with the salt water idea... here is the deal with that, and i will mention again, I work at a natural foods store and I deal a lot with holistic remedies and stuff..

anyways, what you want to look for is a "Neti" pot, they are made for exactly this purpose, but the key here is NON-IODISED salt, it's kinda hard to find but most natural foods stores should know what you are talking about...

those are funny, but anyways that what you do with em...

Drink lots of water and sleep...

OH! I just remembered, there is another remedy that is supposed to improve your immune system, you have probably heard of echnecia (that is spelled wrong though) but what I have taken is a tincture (liquid in a bottle) called "Lomatium" (again maybe wrong spelling) but basically it tasts like ass but improves your immune system...

but what I reccomend most is to go to your local natural foods store and ask the clerk in the vitamin area about colds and the neti pots... they shuold point you in the right direction...

and a note of caution, we are told from the very beginning not to say "This will help you" we are told to say "This is popular/ This is used by many people with your symptoms/ Etc" so just be aware that you probably wont get a concrete answer from the clerks...

Hope this helps, I just got over my cold/feaver/runny nose crappyness... get well soon...

Zach

Oisín · Feb 28, 2005, 05:31 PM

Originally posted by Cody Dawg:
Seriously?

Are you okay?

Do we have the same virus?

Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. It didn't give me more than an infitesimally small concussion, the only result of which was that I felt even more dizzy, and couldn't even turn my head slowly around when lying in bed in the dark, without having the entire world spin like mad around me.

So, uh, yeah, careful when your head feels like that, you might faint.

I don't know about you, but for me it was just the flu that's going around - so far both me and my dad have had it, as have four of my classmates, and at least five people in the corridor I live on (what's the proper word there? I know it's not corridor... what do you call one half of a floor in a student dorm?)

phantomdragonz · Feb 28, 2005, 05:42 PM

Originally posted by Ois�n:
I know it's not corridor... what do you call one half of a floor in a student dorm?)

sounds right to me???

anyways, sounds like vertigo...

I had an inner ear infection that caused vertigo for me... not fun.. holding on to the couch for dear life, couldn't sleep because everytime I closed my eyes the spinning would be faster and faster...

Zach

Oisín · Feb 28, 2005, 06:15 PM

Originally posted by phantomdragonz:
sounds right to me???

Hmm... Guess it must sound right to me too, then... was just looking for a word that wouldn't come. Ah well.

anyways, sounds like vertigo...

I had an inner ear infection that caused vertigo for me... not fun.. holding on to the couch for dear life, couldn't sleep because everytime I closed my eyes the spinning would be faster and faster...

Not exactly vertigo - it was only when I moved my head somehow. If I was lying still, there were no problems, not if I had my eyes closed either. Anyway, it was gone the next morning, so it wasn't bad.

andi*pandi · Feb 28, 2005, 06:24 PM

a cup of tea, a hot bath, a nap, and some soup helped me. Off to take more vit C and maybe zinc though. The husband swears by the zinc.

::sniffle::

malvolio · Feb 28, 2005, 07:57 PM

Originally posted by Ois�n:
For the sore throat of course drink lots of hot tea with milk and honey, or just hot milk with honey, or hot ginger tea (but careful, that stuff is extremely strong - it tastes like drinking pepper, and you shouldn't drink too much of it, no more than a cup a day or so!).

For the cough, if you have it available, try rubbing your chest with some camphorated oil, or even better if you can get to some, camphorated peppermint oil.

I prefer my grandmother's recipe - hot milk with honey and a shot of whiskey.

A good natural way to relieve congestion is to breathe steam. Put a pan of water on the stove and bring it to a full boil. Then drape a towel over your head, bend over the pan of boiling water, and inhale deeply a few times.
Cody Dawg, you have the flu. Congratulations! I had it back in January.