Having a three year-old is demanding.
Being 28 weeks pregnant is tiring.
Writing for a living is hard work.
Throw a head cold in there, and you’ve got a Katie who wants hot whiskey and a day in bed more than pretty much anything.
But, that’s not an option.
I’m not complaining. This is that for which I signed up. Well worth it. Still, it’s not easy doing what needs to be done when my head feels more full than my abdomen, and that’s saying something at this point.
So, I’m in need of some “home remedies” for a cold, as I’m not interested in messing with the majority of OTC remedies at the moment. The following list is a combination of things I found on the Internet, and a few that I do on my own to increase comfort:
- Take a hot shower, during which you press a hot, wet cloth against the full and hurty parts of your face and neck. When the weather gets drier, I also love hot mist humidifiers.
- Consume hydrating fluids frequently. Water and (pregnancy safe) herbal teas are great. Broth and fruit juices can be high in salt and sugar, though can also offer the nutrition you need, so read those labels. Hot fluids also have benefits.
- Ingest honey for a sore throat. I usually prefer raw honey, though that’s something to be careful of during pregnancy. A salt water gargle is another option.
- Get some fresh air and light exercise. Iris and I took a walk last night, and while it was cold enough to make my ears hurt temporarily (not gonna lie – that sucks with congestion), the movement and brisk air felt really good.
- Eat clementines, because Vitamin C, fiber, deliciousness and simplicity.
- If you like nasal irrigation, consider a neti pot. Be sure to use distilled or boiled (lukewarm) water, because brain-eating amoebas suck.
For now, I’m just happy that this appears to be a common cold. This past January, I ended up with a fever of 103 degrees plus, and was pretty much incapacitated for a day… something that hasn’t happened since I was living on fast food and cocktails. A plain old full head is far preferable, even if I can’t take drugs and shoot whiskey with raw honey.
Knocking on wood as we speak.