You or your
loved one could be suffering from the common cold. We present five things to do
so that the annoying cold is banished from your home.
The common cold
often strikes when one is least expecting it. It first manifests itself in a
changed environment – anything from a dip in temperature to exposure to unclean
surroundings can trigger it. Often, it is highly contagious and is easily
passed from one person to another through both direct and indirect contact.
Once it sets in, it takes at least a week to be brought under control.
However, there are
a few things you can do to alleviate the symptoms and reduce the intensity of a
cold outbreak.
Follow these cold remedies for a happy home during cold season:
1.
Isolate the patient. The
person suffering from cold should not be in contact with the other members of
the house, especially pets. The cold spreads through the air and through
person-to-person contact, so it is best to keep the patient away from others.
Use disinfectant sprays on all the surfaces in the home that the person may
have touched to eliminate the spread of germs.
2.
Clean the house. It
is vital that you keep the house completely clean during cold season. Ensure
that you regularly wipe down all kitchen and bathroom surfaces and use
effective floor cleaners all over the house. This will help contain the germs.
3.
Consume fluids
frequently. The body can get dehydrated when
the common cold sets in since its defences are already poor. At this time, it
is important to keep the body hydrated with fluids such as water, green tea,
chicken soup and fresh fruit juices. These will help the body build resistance
to the cold germs and recover faster. Warming foods like chicken soup are some
of the most effective cold remedies: they help clear clogged sinuses and
ease breathing.
4.
Take enough rest. Often, the common cold can be
dealt with a simple remedy: resting in bed. Though it may not always be
possible to do so, especially with work or school project deadlines on the
horizon, resting during the first days of the common cold will help ease its symptoms.
A rested body is able to build its defences against disease better.
5.
Clean the patient’s
clothes and bedding separately. Even after the cold has reduced
in severity, it requires constant vigilance to see that the germs do not spread
all over the house. Use a pair of gloves when handling the patient’s clothes
and bedding. Wash them separately in the washing machine and use anti-bacterial
detergent on them. Once the clothes are washed, clean out the inside of the
washing machine with cleaning wipes before using it again.
