Hacks for cold & flu season

When coughs and sniffles get the better of you, try these unexpected remedies

YOUR nose is dripping, your throat is sore and your head feels as if it might explode. You’ve caught a cold. Again. For many of us, colds and flu are par for the course at this time of year as we hurtle towards winter and the pharmacy queue starts to feel like our second home.

But if you’re keen to try something other than over-the-counter meds, check out these remedies that some people swear by to help banish the bunged-up blues.

LISTEN TO JAZZ!

Yes, really. Research has proven that listening to jazz for 30 minutes boosts our levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA), an immune protein that plays a critical role in defending us against infection.

“IgA resides in the mucosa – the lining of the nose, mouth, throat and other areas of the body. It acts as an antibody and prevents viruses, bacteria and other microorganism infections,” says naturopathic doctor JeanJacques Dugoua of the University of Toronto.

The effect of jazz on IgA levels continues for an additional half hour after the music has stopped, he says, and bluegrass, choral music and soft rock can produce a similar response.

DON A PAIR OF COLD, WET SOCKS

Weird though it may sound, wearing cold, wet socks to bed when coming down with a cold can mimic the effects of immune-enhancing hydrotherapy treatments.

Leslie Solomonian, a doctor of naturopathic medicine, recommends you “soak a pair of socks in cold water, put them on your feet and cover them with a pair of wool or thermal socks. Go to bed and keep your feet in a warm blanket”.

The idea is that cold socks stimulate circulation to the feet, relieving congestion from the head and regulating the body’s immune response. By morning, socks should be dry and your feet toasty and warm.

BLOW YOUR NOSE OFTEN (AND CORRECTLY)

It’s important to blow your nose often when you have a cold rather than sniffing mucus back into your already congested airways.

Just be careful not to blow too hard because the pressure can move germ-carrying phlegm back into your ear passages, causing earache.

The best way to blow your nose is to press a finger over one nostril while you blow gently to clear the other.