The common cold, as we experience it, is our bodies’ reaction to viral infection. It is not the virus that causes a runny nose, the sneezing,
Sick with a common cold? Here are some natural remedies and how to avoid getting it again.
coughing, headache, sore throat, and malaise, but rather, the symptoms we curse and combat with drugs, are how the body fights its invader and prevents the virus from doing more harm.
The body’s mechanism of physical defence against harmful infiltrators is called the immune system. It is regulated by the central nervous system, comprised of the brain and spinal cord. While it can be tempting to drug oneself into a non-functional stupor by way of conventional pills, syrups and lozenges, in doing so, only the reaction to the problem is being neutralized, not the virus itself.
The average person will experience a cold two to three times per year. In a relatively big city, like Calgary, it is impossible to avoid being in contact with the germs that lead to the common cold without completely withdrawing from society.
The best strategy for avoiding a cold is to address the other side of the equation: your health and the health of your immune system. Eating well, sleeping, exercising regularly, regular chiropractic adjustments and reducing stress can all play a huge part in improving your health.
The benefits of chiropractic care extend beyond a routine realignment.
Did you know that by way of an adjustment, your chiropractor is working to reduce vertebral subluxations? Subluxations are slight misalignments of the vertebrae and are suffered by most, at least to some extent.
When these minor misalignments are corrected by a chiropractor, nerve pathways that might have otherwise been stressed or blocked are cleared, which allows the body to work far more efficiently and effectively. And by clearing the nerve pathways, relaying to and from the central nervous system, your chiropractor is helping you build a stronger immune system.
Though an appointment will not cure you of a common cold, it can help prevent the next one by allowing your body to fight off the virus more effectively by means of a properly functioning immune system.
Already have a cold? Rather than using drugs to subdue the symptoms, try some of these natural cold remedies:
- Drink lots of water: your body works best when properly hydrated.
- Rest: fighting off an infection is a lot of work, help your body by getting enough sleep
- Herbal teas: look for non-caffeinated teas that contain nettle leaf, ginger, yarrow, chamomile and peppermint.
- Vitamins: Make sure you’re including healthy sources of Vitamin C, Vitamin D3 and Zinc in your nutrition.
- Gargle: A salt water gargle can help alleviate a sore throat.
- Chicken soup: An age-old remedy that can help with inflammation and sinus congestion.
There is no cure for the common cold. However, trying to keep the body in good condition can minimize the chances of becoming infected, and the severity of the sickness.
Sources:
Cold and Flu. (n.d.). Retrieved October 25, 2017, from http://www.ranickichiropractic.com/cold-and-flu.html
Common cold. (2017, August 08). Retrieved October 25, 2017, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-cold/symptoms-causes/syc-20351605
Mama, K. -. (2017, July 06). Natural Ways to Not Feel Like Crap During Colds and Flu. Retrieved October 25, 2017, from https://wellnessmama.com/207/flu-remedies/
Natural home remedies: Colds and flu. (2016, June 14). Retrieved October 25, 2017, from http://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-you/home-remedies/natural-home-remedies-colds-and-flu/
Treahy-Geofreda, T. (2010, July 23). The University of British Columbia. Retrieved October 27, 2017, from http://blogs.ubc.ca/healthyubc/2010/07/23/what-does-chiropractic-have-to-do-with-the-common-cold/