Get ahead of the cold!

When we say that the cold took us by surprise, we are being a little disingenuous. Usually people feel that they are getting sick: their skin begins to tingle, their legs ache, their throat feels sore - and now another sick leave is looming on the horizon. Every family has its own way to suppress a cold before it gets worse - some have a special homeopathic medicine for this case, some are “treated” with hot beer with honey, some with vodka, and some rush to brew herbs according to a cunning great-grandmother’s recipe... Here are the 5 most accessible ways to overcome a disease that has not cleared up for the time being.

1. Sweet torture
Raspberry tea is an absolute hit! This wonderful method has been tested on everyone. The simplest method: all you need is black tea with raspberry jam, which is placed directly in the cup or in your mouth - it doesn’t matter. But this is a simplified version of the recipe, and originally it was like this: pour 1 tablespoon of dry berries with a glass of boiling water, leave for 10 minutes and only then drink... If you want, use the newfangled interpretation, if you want, use the old one. But, after sweating properly, be sure to change clothes and change your bed linen, otherwise there will be no effect.

2. Acid for good
A shock dose of ascorbic acid will help the body “fend off” a cold. Start taking ascorbic acid as soon as you feel unwell, at a rate of 1-2 grams per day. By the way, if you drink tea with lemon, do not throw the slices directly into boiling water. Wait until it cools down slightly, otherwise the benefits of tea will be much less - alas, vitamin C is easily destroyed.

3. Bath day
Some people, at the first sign of a cold, go to the bathhouse (or sauna), there they rub their body with honey and half-and-half table salt and drink cranberry juice. After washing, go to bed! However, remember: if the body temperature is elevated, baths and saunas are contraindicated.

4. Cold radishes are no sweeter
Black radish juice, famous for its bactericidal properties, helps not only with old coughs, but also fights colds in the early stages. Raw radish should be thoroughly washed with a stiff brush, doused with boiling water, and then grated together with the peel. When the pulp releases juice, season the “salad” with honey - 2 teaspoons for each tablespoon of radish.

5. Cocktail with butter
If the onset of an illness manifests itself as a sore throat, you can support yourself with milk, honey and butter. For a glass of warm milk, take 1 teaspoon of honey and butter (although you can do without it), stir and drink. It’s better to do this in bed - drink it and immediately get under the covers. It's not the most pleasant way to drink, but the method has proven itself to be excellent.

healthy tips
For better digestion, it’s good to drink a special cocktail in the morning: a glass of mineral or regular boiled water with the juice of a quarter of a lemon - this will “wake up” the gastrointestinal tract and prepare it for eating. Some people also add apple cider vinegar to the water.
Blisters on your lips will go away faster if you lubricate them with tea tree oil every two hours. Chapped lips can be helped by antiviral agents (those used for herpetic rashes - for example, Zovirax) - they relieve inflammation.
If your stomach hurts and you don’t have any medicine at hand, brew strong black tea (preferably loose leaf) at the rate of 1 tablespoon per glass of boiling water. Let it brew, strain and drink without diluting with water.
Old calluses on the heels, which especially often cause inconvenience in winter, are easier to remove if you make an aloe compress at night: cut a large leaf, place it on the heels with the skin facing out and bandage it. In the morning, scrape off the softened callus with a pumice stone, wash your feet and lubricate with cream.
Chapped hands will heal faster if in the evening before going to bed you give them baths from the water in which potatoes were boiled, a glass of celery broth and 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Pour everything into a basin, put your hands in there for 15 minutes, and then wipe dry and spread thickly with a rich nourishing cream.

Irina Lipovets.