The cold season is in full swing so I thought to share with you my top tips on how to get rid of a cold fast. I am actually really lucky now that I figured out how to keep my immune system strong in the colder months and while everybody around me is ill with colds, flu and coughs, I am staying healthy (touch wood).
I don’t really get ill nowadays although I used to get colds regularly every winter many years back. Yes, sometimes I still get some sniffles and when that happens I know exactly what to do. I am proud to say that I haven’t had a fully developed cold for a very long long time. Maybe it was about 4 or 5 years ago when I suffered from a cold for about a week. That’s the typical time it takes to recover from a cold but I learnt how to stop a cold in its tracks so my ‘cold’ will never last more than a day or two now. I hate to call it a ‘cold’ actually, I just say I have some sniffles which is just a temporary thing and would go away very quickly.
I know having a cold is a nightmare, especially if you have an important occasion coming up, not to mention the festive season or your birthday. So, many people, naturally, want to know how to get rid of a cold fast. ‘What’s the quickest way to get rid of a cold?’, some people ask. There is lots of advice about this online already, but the tips I share here are based on my personal experience and what actually worked for me. In this post, I have also decided to include additional tips which you can try for yourself to get rid of a cold even quicker – some of these tips are actually based on science.
So if you are looking for the fastest way to get rid of a cold, here is what I recommend you do:
Drink plenty of herbal teas
When I was a child and was ill, my mum would regularly make me herbal teas which I had to drink whether I wanted it or not.
Now, when I feel like I am coming up with something, I also turn to herbal teas. I know that keeping hydrated is important but especially when you have a cold and there is lots of mucus coming out of your nose.
My thinking is that if your nose is dribbling and you are clearing lots of mucus out of your nose, you should replace that lost liquid. What’s more, I believe that drinking lots of herbal tea will help to loosen up the mucus but also flush the toxins out of your body, including the cold virus. I don’t know how much science there is behind this, but I know that this certainly helps.
One of the best herbal teas that I recommend for a cold is ginger tea which is highly anti-inflammatory. Ginger tea is also known to help with sweating which helps you feel better. In addition to that, ginger has anti-viral properties and can help to fight off all kind of viruses.
So, drink as much ginger tea as you can. I have the rule to drink one cup every hour but I don’t necessarily make ginger tea out of freshly grated ginger (although you should, if you can). Normally, I would drink organic ginger tea from Pukka, either Pukka Lemon Ginger & Manuka Honey tea or Pukka Three Ginger Herbal Tea. It just makes things easier as who really wants to make ginger tea from scratch when they are not feeling well?
Take natural supplements
If you or your family gets frequent colds, make sure you are always stocked up with cold remedies, including natural supplements that can help to shorten the duration of a cold.
The go-to natural supplement that I always have at home is Bee Prepared from Unbeelievable Health and I always recommend it to people who are starting to experience the first signs of a cold. I take a capsule a day for prevention every day during the winter months but when I am busier and lack sleep, I take more than one capsule, just to make sure I don’t get ill. This is an amazing supplement which works really well and if I have some sniffles I would take up to 4 capsules in a day and the next day I feel great, almost back to normal with almost no cold symptoms.
If you want to get rid of a cold fast, you cannot go wrong with Bee Prepared supplements which contain natural, high-quality ingredients with antiviral, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. They work for me every time and I have no doubt they would work for you as well. For prevention, I recommend Bee Prepared Daily Defense and for fighting the cold off I recommend Bee Prepared Max Strength. Luckily, you can buy these supplements with Amazon Prime so you will get them delivered to your home very quickly (normally, the next day).
Bee Prepared supplements are all that I need to treat the first signs of cold but you could also try Echinacea drops which are proven to shorten the duration of a cold by 1 to 4 days.
Supplement with zinc
I don’t supplement with zinc and I always try to get it from my diet alone but when you get a cold, supplementing with zinc is one of the ways you can get rid of a cold faster. Some studies have shown that zinc helps to shorten the duration of a cold so if you are desperate to get rid of a cold quickly get yourself some zinc tablets or lozenges.
Instead of zinc tablets, I personally see how I can increase my zinc intake naturally through food. For example, pumpkin seeds are high in zinc and so are legumes, some nuts and shellfish. You can also find zinc in meat if you are a meat eater.
Use vitamin D spray
Vitamin D does not only help to keep your bones healthy but it also helps to keep your immune system strong.
People who are deficient in vitamin D are more susceptible to colds and flu since their immune system is not as strong as it could be. Using a vitamin D spray in the colder months will help you prevent colds and if you haven’t been supplementing it’s never too late to start. You might as well start when the cold strikes, for an additional immune system boost.
I use vitamin D spray from BetterYou which is really affordable especially if you use my discount code BEHEALTHYNOW to get 15% off.
Eat lots of garlic
Garlic is a natural antibiotic with antiviral properties so do try and eat as much garlic as you can at first signs of a cold. The best is to eat garlic raw but you can also add it to soups, sauces and other dishes. Yes, you will have a garlic breath but it will be worth it. Alternatively, take a garlic supplement several times a day.
Avoid processed sugar
There is nothing worse for your immune system than processed sugar. If you are ill, avoid it at all cost.
Processed sugar increases inflammation in your body and has a negative effect on your immune system. When you eat too much sugar, this actually suppresses your immune system – your white blood cells, which fight off infections, are less responsive so they don’t protect you from infectious disease and foreign invaders as effectively. This response may only be temporary (after eating lots of sugar) but still, if you want a quick recovery, avoid refined sugar and focus on eating healthy, wholesome foods instead.
Eat a healthy diet
You may not have a big appetite during a cold, but when you take time to eat, make sure you choose nutrient-rich foods full of vitamins and minerals. If you live with somebody, ask them to make you a nutritious soup and a mixed salad. Chicken soup is well known to help with a cold and remember to eat as many zinc-rich foods as you can. Skip the dessert.
Get some good sleep and rest
We get a cold when our immune system weakens and is unable to fight off various viruses. That often happens when we are overworked and haven’t had a good night’s sleep in a while. Although stress is also a contributing factor (and a bad diet).
One of the best things to do when you have a cold is to get some good sleep and rest. Try and have an early night and make sure you are off work to give your body a chance to recover.
When your body is rested, your immune system will be stronger and will be better at fighting off any viruses.
So these are the things to try if you want to get rid of a cold fast. For me, the quickest way to get rid of a cold is by supplementing with Bee Prepared capsules and drinking lots of herbal teas. I also try some other things mentioned in this post but I am not keen on eating lots of garlic!
What do you do when you get a cold? How long does it take you to recover? Can you get rid of your cold as fast as I can?
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links which means I may get a small commission if you purchase a product after clicking on a link. This does not cost you anything.