If you can't remember whether to feed a cold or starve a fever or both, you can relax. The experts at University of Maryland Medical Center recommend you eat when you are hungry, get plenty of fluids and focus instead on treating the symptoms of the common cold naturally. While the only likely cure is tincture of time, the cough, congestion and sore throat accompanying this viral infection may respond well to a few home remedies.
Supplements
Alternative practitioners often recommend echinacea, vitamin C, zinc and other natural remedies to help relieve symptoms of the common cold. KidsHealth.org advises talking with your doctor before giving any herb or supplement to children due to lack of scientific studies designed for the pediatric population.
Widely available in tablet form, proponents believe echinacea stimulates the body's natural immune system so that it can better fight cold infections. As of 2008, some clinical trials showed no effect on preventing or reducing cold symptoms while others indicated possible benefits in treating upper respiratory infections, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Well-known for its positive impact on the immune system, the NIH notes vitamin C continues to perplex scientists regarding its effectiveness in fighting cold viruses. Numerous clinical trials reviewed in 2007 showed vitamin C offered no help in preventing colds but sometimes decreased the severity and length of symptoms. However, several other trials provided evidence that vitamin C helped prevent colds from occurring in half of teh participants exposed to extreme, subarctic conditions.
The NIH reports that clinical trials, as of 2009, consistently show zinc lozenges reduce the duration of a cold when participants take at least 70 mg a day. NIH recommends further study to quantify dosing and treatment plans. However, because intranasal zinc remedies may cause anosmia or loss of smell, the NIH advises patients not to use these products.
Chicken Soup
According to UMM, your great-grandmother was likely correct if she prescribed a steaming bowl of chicken soup for your cold. While providing the fluids so often recommended during illness, the steam from the soup may help relieve stuffiness by opening up nasal passages and thinning that thick drainage you keep coughing up or blowing out, which is essentially a waste product of your immune system's fight against infection. Although not conclusive, some research suggests chicken soup actually contains certain amino acids that help decrease the inflammation that often constricts airways during colds.
Other Ways to Manage Cold Symptoms
Cool-mist humidifiers to moisturize the air, cough lozenges to soothe your throat and plenty of juice, water and other non-caffeinated beverages to prevent dehydration all help reduce symptoms associated with colds. Taking a warm bath can ease muscle aches, and steam from hot showers may help you breathe easier. Nasal saline drops also help relieve congestion; and petroleum jelly applied under the nostrils can relieve discomfort caused by frequent nose blowing.
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