Hunkering down in front of the fire with a hot cup of ginger and lemon tea is all well and good for the colder months, but what to do when you’re nose is running like a broken tap, it’s 30 degrees outside and there are Aperol spritzes that urgently need drinking?
It’s no secret that summer colds are even more inconvenient and uncomfortable than their wintery counterparts. If the constant switching from searing heat and humidity outside to icy-cold air conditioning in the office isn’t bad enough, throw in the small factor of the silly season and you’ve got yourself a perfect recipe for a cold, without the cosy comfort of hot tea and a warm blanket as your go-to remedy.
If you’re one of the unlucky ones who do fall foul to the dreaded summer cold, here’s what you need to do to get yourself back in action, pronto. After all, those cocktails won’t drink themselves.
Shots, shots…
Creating your own wellness shot at home will give your suffering immune system some much-needed TLC. By combining some nutrient-dense, powerhouse ingredients into a shot or two (or three, or four…), you can beat the nasty little bug that is trying to take you out of action. To pack a decent punch, your shot could contain some—or all—of the following:
- Ginger
- Lemon
- Turmeric
- Cayenne pepper
- Manuka honey
Can’t face a shot? Try putting these immune-boosting ingredients into a tea, like this one.
…And more shots
If drinking your wellness shot sounds a bit, ‘mainstream’ for you, vitamin infusions could well become your new bestie. The benefits are seemingly miraculous, with one provider explaining that:
“Intravenous or ‘IV’ therapy involves the direct introduction of essential fluids, vitamins, and minerals into the bloodstream. A key advantage of an IV is that it allows for the 100% bioavailability (absorption) of fluids, minerals, and vitamins as they avoid being processed by the gut (which can result in decreased physiologic availability due to the digestive system), allowing for better cell absorption.”
Which, when you’re feeling a bit like you’ve just been run over by a ten-tonne truck, sounds just the ticket we think.
Get steamy
In the shower, we mean. Open up the nasal passages by taking a long hot shower, and if you can manage it, sit in direct sunlight to dry off. While it might feel uncomfortable on your stinging nose from all of that blowing, you’ll quickly feel the benefits as sunlight energises the T cells that play a central role in human immunity.
Alkalise
Love it, hate it, hate to love it or love to hate it, apple cider vinegar is brimming with health benefits. Aim for two tall glasses per day with a tablespoon of ACV mixed in while you’re feeling under the weather. Your body will start to heal thanks to the creation of an alkaline environment that kills off viruses and bacteria.
Netflix your heart out
As disappointing as it is when colds interfere with your social calendar, rest is essential to getting better. Refusing to take adequate rest as soon as the virus hits will only make it harder to heal in the long run. Give yourself permission to rest, relax and reset while you’re feeling rotten and we promise you’ll recover quicker.
Happy Gossip-Girling, lovelies.
