"cold and flu" news and stories

It's been remarkably frigid out here on the east coast of late and the bone chilling weather seems to be bringing with it another round of sniffles and head colds. Doctors advise that there's not much to do for a cold other than drink lots of fluids and get plenty of rest. We can't help you with the rest, but I've got a tasty suggestion for making those liquids go down easy.

Whip up a quick infusion of honey, lemon and ginger. Simply grate a half inch chunk of ginger into a large mug. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon in on top (you can also add the zest if you're feeling daring) and add a heaping teaspoonful of honey (feel free to adjust the sweetness level to your personal taste). Fill the cup with boiling water and stir to combine. Drink while still warm and repeat as necessary.

It will soothe a sore throat, help with the cough (truly, honey has been found in scientific studies to calm a cough nearly as well as cough syrup) and taste good to boot!

I woke up yesterday morning with some achiness and a stuffed up head, sure signs that a cold was coming my way. My standard method of dealing with the moments when cold and flu season hit me is lots of orange juice and a large pot of chicken and rice soup. This is mostly because that's how my mom handled it when my sister and I were growing up.

According to Sally Squires, who writes the Lean Plate Club column at the Washington Post, chicken soup is supposed to help clear up a cold. Scientists have found that the steam from the soup bowl "helps soothe and open bronchioles." The carrots, tomatoes and garlic aren't bad for you either. She dug around a little bit more, to discover other natural ways to ease the effects of a cold or flu. In talking to the experts, what she learned is that honey, especially the natural, unprocessed is good. Cherry bark extract can also help and most natural food stores carry it (it is also one of the ingredients in throat coat tea). Mint and black elderberry can also help calm a cough.

However, time is really the only dependable cure for the standard cold or flu. Frustrating, isn't it!

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