Here, in our quiet little suburban cove, we spent the majority of the summer sick. There was a brief reprieve for a week or two, and then we started school at a ridiculously, insultingly early date. With the beginning of the school year came another onslaught of germs (I really wish they wouldn’t make the kids share pencils, but that’s another post for another day). Within the first week, Littlest came home sick, promptly passing it to Middle Girl. It’s only a matter of time before I’ll be sniffling and sneezing, coughing and hacking, and just miserable in general.
While there’s no way to cure a cold, it is possible to make the symptoms more manageable. In an effort to reduce the severity with which I hate life while I’m sick, I try to have an arsenal of supplies on hand at all times.
Leaning towards a holistic approach, I avoid many of the cold medicines on the market in favor of more natural options. Of course, it’s always important to provide your immune system support from vitamins and minerals like vitamin C and zinc, but as the saying goes, when the going gets tough, the tough listen to their body and get some rest…or something like that.
If I’m losing the battle against a cough, Hyland’s Defend Cough & Cold is my savior. It comes in both a day and night formula, minus any of the ingredients that might become habit forming and no danger of it interacting with any other medicine you might be taking. It’s safe, and there’s no chance of me oversleeping and forgetting to take my kids to school. Kinda can’t argue with that!
When I really feel like I’m down for the count, I bundle up in bed with a hot cup of Hyland’s Severe Cold and Flu Natural Lemon and Honey drink. It’s like tea, but better, with a whole plethora of ingredients that help soothe the yuckiness of typical cold symptoms like runny nose, sore throat and body aches. And then for added comfort, besides binge watching Gilmore Girls, I keep my diffuser running with a selection of essential oils that help soothe and calm my senses. Eucalyptus, lavender and sweet orange oil are my favorites.
Colds happen, even to the best of hand washers out there. But with a little preparation and a lot of self care, you can weather the germ storm and be back on your feet in no time.