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Quick fix when you're sick?

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Contributor: kck kck
Okay. It's that time of year again when immune systems shut down and everyone around you seems to have something -- whether it's that pesky common cold, a miserable virus, or the dreaded flu. And although you wash your hands like a maniac, carry hand santizer on your person, and avoid putting your hands near your mouth and eyes, ya still manage to get whatever's going 'round! (Or at least, that's always been my experience.) So, now that you've got the darned thing, what do you do to get better?

So, EFers, once you get sick, how do you treat your illness? How do you nurse your immune system back to health? Do you just sleep it off? Take Advil or Tylenol every 4-6 hours on the dot? Drink a protein shake? Is there a special "home remedy" that you make?

If you have a quick fix, please share! Because I'm pretty sick right now (as I imagine others are, too), and I would loooove to know if there's a pretty reliable way to recovery.
11/04/2010
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Contributor: ToyTimeTim ToyTimeTim
Emergen-c drink mix, a small clove of garlic and some hot tea. That's my regiment.

Mom always said that "anything that will get you to; sweat, blow your nose, pee or poo is the the way to get over being sick. Those are the ways the body rids itself of toxins".

Those words always come to mind when I am sick. Funny how advice from so long ago still sticks around.

So lot's of fluids and vitamins and a good diet, if you have a high fever cut back on food a bit. Any food you eat will just sit in your stomach and simmer. lol.

Starve a fever, feed a cold. Wasn't that the wife's tale?
11/04/2010
Contributor: Kindred Kindred
I don't think there's any reliable way to a faster recovery. Most medications treat symptoms, not the underlying condition. However, they can make you feel better so take them as you see fit. I "think" high doses of Vitamin C can speed recovery, but if I remember they have to be taken as soon as you feel the onset of a cold. I honestly can't remember if this was disproven or not.

I'm a terrible sick person. I get all cranky and whiney, my wife hates it. I usually just like to stay cuddled up with a warm blanket and drink plenty of fluids. Hope you feel better soon. /hugs
11/04/2010
Contributor: Alegria Alegria
Depends on the sickness but generally I eat lottts of Vitamin C pills and drink tea, hit the bed early and sleep late. I love playing monopoly when I'm sick but no one else ever wants to join me

Feel better!
11/04/2010
Contributor: Tori Rebel Tori Rebel
Zicam. Zicam, zicam, zicam.
11/04/2010
Contributor: Envy Envy
I tried Ariborne, didn't seem to help me. I'm sick now (3rd time in 5 months, lovely) and am taking dayquil and nyquil religiously. It sucks bad, also taking vitamin c and other vitamins to get better, theraflu when it's real bad, and some antihistamines since I am having sneezing fits.

Sad thing is, I still have to go to work like this.
11/04/2010
Contributor: Kindred Kindred
Something that is probably worth mentioning at the start of flu and cold season is proper hygiene. It can not be stressed enough that prevention is the best method to not get sick.

Wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap. Most people do not wash long enough. Avoid touching your face without first washing your hands. Most bugs get in through our mucous membranes, meaning our eyes, nose, and mouth. Also, hand sanitizers are good, but don't rely on them. Ideally they should only be used if you can't wash your hands properly.
11/04/2010
Contributor: seaofneptune seaofneptune
Quote:
Originally posted by Tori Rebel
Zicam. Zicam, zicam, zicam.
I'm with Tori Rebel - I always go for Zicam. It's the only thing that works very well for me.
11/04/2010
Contributor: Chilipepper Chilipepper
Have a healthy immune system to begin with, I guess. It's usually two years between colds for me, and they last about a week. My preventative isn't any different than others - multivitamin, exercise (believe it or not I do exercise), and keeping hydrated.

When I do get sick, I take a C supplement at the beginning, and keep hydrated even more. Sprite and orange juice is a nice sickness cocktail. And lots of sleep.

Allergies kick my ass, though; getting worse as I get older.
11/04/2010
Contributor: Carrie Ann Carrie Ann
I have a few things I do.

Zicam as soon as I feel sick. Emergen C two or three times a day. LOTS of water. Warm baths with salts that contain menthol, eucalyptus, and other relaxing, breath better ingredients - they don't make you better but they make you FEEL better.

I also try to sleep as much as I can because rest seems to really help, as does finding a way to combat stress. Meditation, soothing music, time to read a good book...
11/04/2010
Contributor: kck kck
Thanks, y'all! Keep 'em coming!

I love Emergen-C! It's not a cure-all but does provide some kind of temporary relief.

I've never heard of Zicam, but so many of you have suggested it that I think I'll try it. Is there only one kind of Zicam? Or are there different types for different symptoms? If there are multiple kinds, which Zicam do you find works best?
11/04/2010
Contributor: Victoria Victoria
Lots of water, hot showers, lots of rest, mild foods rich in protein and calcium, vitamins, lozenges to cut down on throat irritation, and try to stay comfortable.

There was an interesting special on my local NPR station about how Airborne and Emergen-C don't work...as part of a discussion on a science writer's new book Ah-Choo!: The Uncommon Life of Your Common Cold - a very good listen (you can listen to the MP3 for free). I recommend it!
11/04/2010
Contributor: Annemarie Annemarie
I have a horrible immune system, so I get the flu twice a year like clockwork.

My regimen? Drink Nyquil like it's a cocktail and conk out for a day or two. It's not really a speeding-up-thing, but it certainly makes the time pass by faster. I usually find I'm about 10 pounds lighter, too.

Edit: Lots of masturbation, too, between comas. So you have those happy endorphins.
11/04/2010
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Pretty much sleep immediately and for long periods of time as soon as I feel it coming on. If I can sleep for 2 days and save myself from being miserable for 2 weeks, it's well worth the loss of pay calling in sick. And hot tea with honey. I love it.
11/04/2010
Contributor: Waterfall Waterfall
I usually sleep more, drink a lot of tea, kind of take it easy. I am sick right now as well, feel like crap but I've been getting more sleep so that helps a little bit. Drinking juice makes me cough less.
11/04/2010
Contributor: ScottA ScottA
The trick is to support your immune system and allow it to do its work. Other than the antivirals there really isn't any medication that can help against viruses. Bacterial infections could possibly have a few other options, but there isn't much research other than the "tested-doesn't make a significant difference" type (for zinc and high doses of vitamin C).
11/04/2010
Contributor: Blinker Blinker
You can't really do anything to make the ick go away. People takes high doses of Vitamin C to "boost" the immune system but only so much can be absorbed, then you pee the rest out, so eating a 5 lb. bag of oranges, taking pills infused with Vitamin C and whatnot won't do anything. Zinc and C make you feel better but don't do much else. Liquids are important so the body can regulate temperature and all the cells can work at peak levels to fight off the ick.

When I worked at a diagnostics lab helping with necropsies, interns and staff would get sick and you could always tell how long someone had been working there by how they acted when they got a cold or felt under the weather. The newer guys would pop Vitamin C drops and use hand sanitizer CONSTANTLY and take Tylenol all the time and wonder why they're still sick. The vets would all kind of poke fun and try to explain that a fever is a good thing and nothing speeds up the process of recovering from a cold. These guys and gals drink coffee out of old beakers and store their food in fridges used for petri dishes...

Am I being gross?

Point is, I guess, that the people who are ultra-diligent about taking vitamins and whatnot still get sick, and the people who don't use Purell every 30 seconds and drink from old lab equipment didn't get sick any more or less than the other guys.
11/04/2010
Contributor: Jobthingy Jobthingy
I sleep, take Nyquil at night and advil cold and sinus during the day.

Purell is ok if you need a quick fix but it should only be used for that. you should also wash your hands thoroughly every 5 times you put on Purell because it will do nothing but eat away at the healthy stuff in your skin that keeps ickies out
11/04/2010
Contributor: RadRach RadRach
sleep, sweat, emergen-c!
11/04/2010
Contributor: Shellz31 Shellz31
Someone I knew swore by (from the moment you feel it starting) drinking a cup of water every 30mins to help flush it through your system faster. She use to be able to recover within 48hrs.
I tried it but Im a (or use to be) shocking water drinker. The last thing I want is damn water when my throat hurts so it naturally didnt work for me...lol.
I put extra garlic in my food (I really dont care if I stink at a time like that), drink as much as I can (little) and sleep.
I wish there was a miracle pill!

Hope you feel better soon
11/05/2010
Contributor: Naughty Student Naughty Student
For colds, I make myself tea with 1 clove of garlic, 1/2 an onion and a teaspoon of cayenne pepper, in a coffee mug.

It tastes like hell but it's good stuff or the immune system.

I usually get some Buckley's too.
11/05/2010
Contributor: kck kck
Quote:
Originally posted by Naughty Student
For colds, I make myself tea with 1 clove of garlic, 1/2 an onion and a teaspoon of cayenne pepper, in a coffee mug.

It tastes like hell but it's good stuff or the immune system.

I usually get some Buckley's too.
That's quite the concoction! Do you mind me asking what the individual ingredients are for? Several people have mentioned garlic, but you're the first to list onion and cayenne pepper. I guess I'm just ignorant as to home-made, herbal/natural remedies.
11/05/2010
Contributor: kck kck
Quote:
Originally posted by Blinker
You can't really do anything to make the ick go away. People takes high doses of Vitamin C to "boost" the immune system but only so much can be absorbed, then you pee the rest out, so eating a 5 lb. bag of oranges, taking pills infused ... more
HAH. I guess I am one of those n00bs y'all make fun of...
11/05/2010
Contributor: Kindred Kindred
Quote:
Originally posted by kck
That's quite the concoction! Do you mind me asking what the individual ingredients are for? Several people have mentioned garlic, but you're the first to list onion and cayenne pepper. I guess I'm just ignorant as to home-made, ... more
I'm not sure of the scientific for those ingredients, but in terms of food therapy (Eastern philosophy of using food as a method to balance ones yin/yang) all of those ingredients are considered "hot" and provide heat/energy to the body.
11/05/2010
Contributor: ScottA ScottA
Quote:
Originally posted by Blinker
You can't really do anything to make the ick go away. People takes high doses of Vitamin C to "boost" the immune system but only so much can be absorbed, then you pee the rest out, so eating a 5 lb. bag of oranges, taking pills infused ... more
Washing your hands before eating or touching your face/mucous membranes is important to reduce transmission and the risks of acquiring or spreading a illness. While constant applications of hand sanitizer aren't necessary, being careful is always a good idea.
11/05/2010
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Something else a former boss of mine had told me was to drink like, 5 or 6 shots of Jager, then a beer, then go to bed. She said her whole family swore by it. I have yet to try it because a) I don't like the taste of Jager all that much, and b) I'm a freaking lightweight, so I'd probably make myself sicker(er) trying it out, lol. I've also heard a cup of hot tea with a spoonful of honey and a shot of whiskey. Haven't gotten sick since I heard that one to try it tho.
11/08/2010
Contributor: Shellz31 Shellz31
Quote:
Originally posted by Jul!a
Something else a former boss of mine had told me was to drink like, 5 or 6 shots of Jager, then a beer, then go to bed. She said her whole family swore by it. I have yet to try it because a) I don't like the taste of Jager all that much, and b) ... more
Yikes - that Jager and beer sounds full on. Maybe thats the trick - knock yaself out for awhile. Reckon I'd be in a coma after drinking that much...lol.

My grandfather swears by a shot of whiskey in his tea as soon as he feels the sore throat coming on. Reckons it kills the whole cold off before it really takes hold.
11/15/2010
Contributor: AmandaV AmandaV
I drink tea, take dayquil/nyquil and take nice hot baths
11/15/2010
Contributor: ToyGeek ToyGeek
Ignore it. Work anyway. Suffer.
11/15/2010
Contributor: ScottA ScottA
Quote:
Originally posted by Jul!a
Something else a former boss of mine had told me was to drink like, 5 or 6 shots of Jager, then a beer, then go to bed. She said her whole family swore by it. I have yet to try it because a) I don't like the taste of Jager all that much, and b) ... more
You can do roughly the same thing by drinking fluids and going to sleep. Better, probably, because the alcohol will dehydrate you.
11/15/2010