8 Ways to Prevent & Get Rid of Colds

Whether you’re already sick or know it’s only a matter of time until it happens, check out my go-to ways for getting through cold and flu season.

Get the hand sanitizer out; stop talking to everyone; and lock yourself in the house. Cold season is upon us!

This didn’t occur to me until recently when I started feeling a bit off after a weekend of travel. At first I thought it was just allergies, but as the congestion and sneezing kept getting worse, I knew I was the victim of a cold virus. WHYYY?!

As usual when I’m sick, I started searching for ways to cheat my way through the cold faster and be slightly less miserable. And as always, I was reminded that a virus just has to run its course and there’s not much I could really do. But since I refuse to just sit around and wait for this thing to pass, I started busting out all my tried and true methods for giving my immune system a boost.

I usually don’t take over-the-counter drugs unless I’m desperate. Most just focus on relieving symptoms anyways, and I’ve been told taking some of them too many days in a row can actually make certain symptoms worse. Whether there’s truth to that or not, I try to save the drugs for when my sickness is at its worst, and the rest of the time I focus on my diet and sleeping habits.

Whether you avoid all interactions with people, become a germaphobe, or OD on vitamins, there’s a good chance you try to avoid cold season every year. Since we all have our own system for preventing and getting rid of sickness—many of which have not been proven effective—I wanted to share the methods I swear by.

1. Get As Much Rest as Possible

From napping to just going to bed early, I’m always very focused on getting extra sleep if I think I’m getting sick. Sleep is healing, and when you’re sick with a cold or especially the flu, chances are your body is working extra hard and could use the downtime. You might also want to forgo your usual workout for a little R&R. I wrote a post about how long it takes to get out of shape when you’re sick, if that’s something you’re worried about! (Spoiler: it doesn’t happen overnight.)

2. Stay Hydrated

Drinking water can be unappealing when your throat hurts, but your body functions best when it’s hydrated! Whether it’s tea, sports drinks, soup, or good ol’ H20, make sure you’re getting plenty of fluids. If you need some ideas for how to make sure this happens, check out my post for how to drink more water during the day.

3. Sanitize Everything

To state the obvious: wash your hands like woa during the cold and flu season. And maybe use that hand sanitizer that’s on the wall at so many public buildings. Whether it’s for yourself or others, one of the best ways to reduce the risk of spreading sickness is to keep our germs under control. I bust out the Clorox wipes and air sanitizer spray a lot more around the winter season, as well.

4. Eat a Nutritious Diet

Depending on the type of sick I am, I either want comfort food or nothing at all, due to not having an appetite. But I know if I eat some fruits and veggies, my body and immune system will be a lot happier. My go-to way to eat something healthy while I’m sick is just to whip up some soup. Usually it’s out of the can because I don’t have the will to cook much during these times, but Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup is where it’s at. Chicken soup has an anti-inflammatory effect that may or may not aid in the treatment of a cold. It’s an old remedy that people swear by.

5. Take Supplements

This is the gooey center of this post, because I think most people just want supplements they can take to zap their sickness away. I’m a strong believer in vitamin C and zinc supplements the most, which is why I love Emergen-C, Cold-Eeze lozenges, and Zicam spray and tablets. I’ve also taken echinacea and elderberry products before. There are countless products out there, most of which aren’t scientifically proven to help. I believe Cold-Eeze and Zicam supplements for colds are clinically proven to reduce the duration of colds, though.

6. Drink Warm Liquids

Green tea and my Hot Lemon Ginger Water with Honey have saved me this week. It’s crazy how drinking hot liquids can so noticeably help ease congestion and soothe a dry or sore throat. While I like to drink something with an extra boost (like the antioxidants in green tea or the magic that is lemon), even a mug of hot water helps!

7. Stay Away from People

If you’re not sick, avoiding people and public spaces may be smart if the flu or cold is running rampant where you live. And if you’re the sicko that’s spreading your germs everywhere, you might want to rethink your life choices, since this causes the “common” cold to spread. While we can’t always avoid being around people, such as going to work, when we’re sick, it can at least help to stay in when we can control it until cold/flu season fades.

8. Get the Flu Vaccine

I’ve read so many articles about how the flu vaccine is created and why it’s so important. The key message: even if you don’t care about it because you’re young and healthy, get it for all those with weak or compromised immune systems. (Babies and older people are hit harder and have a much harder time recovering.) Herd immunity is real, and when you take precautions like getting vaccinated, you’re helping prevent the spread of illnesses like the flu, which can be life-threatening to many.

And that sums up the key ways I prevent and/or treat colds/the flu. Hopefully they help inspire you with ways to prepare for the dreaded season! Also, if you want a laugh, head over to my post with positive facts about getting sick. Because when you’re feeling defeated about how long some symptoms last, it helps to look at the silver linings, even when they’re a bit of a stretch.

P.S. If you’re sick and are worried about your symptoms or can’t seem to get better, please see a doctor to get looked at! While they may not be able to do much depending on the cause of your illness, it’s better to be safe than sorry!

How do you prevent/treat colds? Does anyone use a Neti Pot?

The original version of this post was published on November 7, 2014.