8 Ways to Cure the Common Cold

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Beat the common cold with these 8 tips. From Wim Hof Breathing, to proper food and rehydration, this article has you covered.

Eat and drink fermented food

Fermented foods include things like kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha, etc. The boost in probiotics from these foods could support your immune system.

Fermented foods literally create beneficial “movement” in the immune system, which could help keep colds and infections at bay.

Avoid added sugar

I think there’s a strong correlation between the rise of the common cold and increased sugar intake over the holidays. Sugar is known to cause inflammation. An article by the Harvard Medical School says, “Consuming too much added sugar can raise blood pressure and increase chronic inflammation…”

Could the added stress of sugar on your body make you more susceptible to a cold? This winter say no to added sugars in your diet. For me, I find that consuming sugary foods has a snowball effect where I keep wanting more sugar to make things taste good. As I avoid sugar, things like black coffee (properly brewed of course), and teas all have a lot of flavor, even without those little white granules.

Exercise (break a sweat)

Exercise at least a few times a week. In an article by the US National Library of Medicine, they state, “Physical activity may help flush bacteria out of the lungs and airways. This may reduce your chance of getting a cold, flu, or other illness.”

This is just one of four theories presented in the article on the benefits of exercise and immune function, so get out there, and get moving!

Wim Hof Breathing

“Wim Hof Breathing” is a breathing technique scientifically proven to fight infection – start this breathing technique at the onset of cold symptoms, or do it as a practice throughout cold season.

If you’ve been following my writing, you know I’m a huge fan of this practice. Its benefits extend beyond just the immune system and include everything from cold tolerance to improvements in mental health.

I write about some background on Wim Hof Breathing in this article, which includes the basics to get started with this breathing technique in just a few minutes — it can make you light headed though, so if you do give it a try, be sure to do it sitting or lying down.

Sauna or hot yoga

Sauna is also proven to reduce infection – give sauna a try or the similarly hot environment of hot yoga. In a 2013 study, doctors at the National Institute of Health found that Sauna stimulated the immune system.

Qualitatively sauna is just a pleasant experience. It’s a 20-30 minute break from your phone and the noise of life. It’s one of the few spaces that remain where it’s completely acceptable to sit quietly and do nothing.

Between heating up your body temp, sweating out toxins, and simply sitting down for 20 minutes, the sauna is a great tool to stay healthy.

Homemade chicken soup or bone broth

For immune system boosting soups the key is that they are homemade. Cooking your own soup with bones included ensures that the soup is rich in minerals and collagen, nutrients that may be important in supporting your body’s fight against the cold.

Making your own soup from scratch also helps keep out needless amounts of excess sodium and artificial ingredients. Google “chicken stock from scratch” for recipes on how to make this. I’m a big fan of Mark Bittman’s and America’s Test Kitchen Recipes.

General self care practice

Stress is one of the greatest threats to our health. For some people, winter months can exacerbate stress, whether it’s the holidays, white knuckle driving, or pressure to have strong performance in Q4.

Be thoughtful of how you’re doing physically and emotionally, and you may just keep a cold at bay. What’s more, if you need a break, take a day.

EmergenC, zinc, and over the counter cold remedies

Over the counter cold remedies can all help beat back a cold. I take EmergenC throughout the year as an afternoon caffeine free pick-me-up, this is thanks to the b-vitamins which boost my energy. Try making it with hot water.

This year in particular, my immune system has been under attack as both my infant daughter and wife have had colds. To give myself extra odds, I’ve used the the nasal swab version of Zicam, an over the counter cold remedy. So far, I’ve had some mild symptoms, but not a full blown cold. *Knock on wood.*

Final thoughts…

Doing some or all these things can help keep you chugging along cold free this fall and winter.

What are your favorite cold cures? Please let me know if the comments or tweet at me, I’m @oakfive.

Good luck staying healthy this cold season!

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