How I Beat a Cold in Three Days

Three nights ago, I was having a normal Sunday evening dancing at my favorite club. Except for the afternoon nap I took, the tickle in my throat, and being completely motionless when I sat down, nothing was unusual. Maybe those should have been clues that within a few hours, I would go home early (!) and consider having my doctor check for strep throat the next day--my throat was that sore.

Once I got home, I took all the vitamin D3 I had and went to bed. I’d read of colds being stopped by large doses of the sunshine vitamin, but the next morning, I felt velcroed to the bed. I still had a sore throat. I called my employer and croaked that I wouldn't be at work. Being a cheapskate, I decided to try to get well on my own before seeing a doctor.

It’s Wednesday night, and I’m well again. Tuesday wasn’t bad, either--I did a boatload of work since I took Monday off. I had very little nasal congestion during this cold.

My strategies:

Vitamin D3 in 10,000 IU doses, two per day for two and a half days. I took two 5,000 IU doses today. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, so take the oil form or eat something fatty with it.
Umcka Cold Care chewable tablets, three to five doses per day. It clears congestion without drying you out. Today I gave a tablet to a coworker who said she’d had a cold for a week, and within an hour, she said she was able to breathe again. It’s non-drowsy, too.
Carmex. I apply this just inside my nose; I think the menthol helps break up congestion. It’s not indicated for this use, so use your own judgment.
Ibuprofin. Three doses on Monday for my headache.
Chicken soup. Actually, homemade egg drop soup with garlic. Free range chicken broth, eggs, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, instructions from the book 500 Low-Carb Recipes and a few minutes over the stove were all it took to make the best chicken soup I’ve ever had.
No noodles! I find wheat very congesting. In fact, I was more congested last week on the day after I ate a few little cookies than I was during this cold.
Rest. Both Sunday and Monday, I went to bed when I was tired. Unless you absolutely have to keep going, there’s nothing stoic about trudging on when you’re tired and ill.
Nourishment. I had my usual protein shake and battery of vitamins for breakfast. Hungry or not, resting or not, your body needs nourishment to fight illness.

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