Gargle warm diet coke...


I'm sick with a cold. A while back someone told me that the BEST treatment for a cold was to gargle warm diet coke. I kid not dear readers.

So in celebration of my cold I thought that we could compile a list of cold; relief, symptom treating, and preventions which I will then try all at once and document for you blog reading pleasure.

 

15 comments:

Swil said... 7/25/2008 10:56 am  

I thought I had a cold but now it's looking more like I have a throat infection.

Anyway, the gargling thing applies to me too, only I've been told that gargling Aspro Clear is the way to go if I want my throat soothed (and it does seem to work). Salt water is apparently also recommended.

Bron said... 7/25/2008 12:33 pm  

My parents swear by Black Cumin Seed Oil capsules. Apparently it's a general immune booster.

Gargling warm salt water is gross, but highly effective.

My mum used to have a recipe for a drink to make when you're getting a cold. Finely slice a clove of garlic. Let it sit in a glass of water overnight. In the morning, strain out the garlic and drink the water. I swear it's the most revolting thing I've ever drunk. When mum got told the recipe, her friend got it wrong and said 10 cloves of garlic. Mum drank a glass of that stuff and ran straight to the bathroom!

Gosh, I love this sort of thing!

Neil Cameron (One Salient Oversight) said... 7/25/2008 1:08 pm  

I've tried not doing anything - not taking any garlic or herbal concoctions and, guess what! My cold went away! And it was cheaper to not buy all that stuff.

"All you need is bed rest. The only thing I can give you is a placebo." - Dr Hibbert

"Where are these placebos? Maybe they're over here in this van!" - crowd member

(Crowd turns into a mob and pushes over van)

Anonymous said... 7/25/2008 1:24 pm  

Use cardboard or sandpaper instead of tissues, they stimulate the body's immune system.

I've also found 'Oliveleaf' extract good for cold fighting. Tastes revolting but does the trick.

--Luke

kath said... 7/25/2008 10:25 pm  

working in a pharmacy, i've seen some wacky cold treatments. olive leaf is popular, as is good ol vitamin c. eucalyptus drops are good and work like vicks.

personally i rate good food, warm bed, enough sleep, several episodes of scrubs, and a good dose of pseudoephidrine. you probably need a permit to buy it these days though.

mike said... 7/25/2008 11:09 pm  

Maybe everything except the "Scrubs" ;)

Laura said... 7/26/2008 12:28 am  

Yup... lots of fluid. Rest, warm bed, ibuprofen to keep the fever down. If your throat is irritated, our family doc says that hot salt water actually does have a purpose besides being soothing -- the extremely salty environment is hostile to developing bacteria, which your body is susceptible to with a weakened immune system. So it can sometimes help ward off another infection like bronchitis or strep. FYI. ;)

Oh, and it has to be as hot as you can stand and as salty as sea water.

Neil Cameron (One Salient Oversight) said... 7/26/2008 10:59 am  

And don't forget the importance of running around in the middle of the night outdoors wearing wet clothes as the temperature approaches freezing. There's nothing like a mild dose of hypothermia to get your mind off your cold.

The Pook said... 7/26/2008 12:21 pm  

I wouldn't warm the diet coke too much if I were you. Maybe it's only an urban myth, but I think the artificial sweetener in it has a habit of turning into something resembling formaldehyde when it is heated.

The Borg said... 7/26/2008 12:59 pm  

Lots and lots of rest! Sleep all the time until it goes away.

Anthony Rochester said... 7/26/2008 2:26 pm  

Are you going to try all of these remedies?

My grandma taught me to swallow razor blades and wash them down with concentrated acid..

Anonymous said... 7/28/2008 4:12 pm  

Take huge doses of andrographis paniculata (wiki/google it); it works insanely well. Keep it away from Christine though (probably not good for preggy ladies). Amy J

Anonymous said... 7/29/2008 4:45 am  

try this indian cure, slice some onions and then make them into a necklace.

Anonymous said... 7/29/2008 4:50 am  

*necklace must be worn

Anthony Rochester said... 7/29/2008 11:52 pm  

helen's funny!

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