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There are a katrillion things worse than a cold, but let's face it...a cold can be a bugger and totally make you feel miserable for over a week.

One to three days after being exposed to a cold virus, you can begin feeling symptoms ranging anywhere from runny nose, cough, nasal congestion, sore and itchy throat to watery eyes and sneezing.

So what are some popular remedies to a meddling virus without a quick antibiotic to clear things up?

1. I'll tell you to take Airborne. Yes it's true. I plop an Airborne tablet in some water and drink up. A lot of people say it is the placebo effect, but I think it is physically beneficial. Follow the directions though, one glass and one try alone WILL NOT WORK!

2. Zinc Lozenges are pretty popular during cold season. The truth of the matter is that more than 300 enzymes in our body require zinc. It is said that using said lozenges will cut down on the duration of a cold.

3. And apparently garlic does more than just keeping vampires away. Many folks increase their garlic uptake during cold season. The cold-fighting compound in garlic is thought to be allicin. To maximize the amount of allicin, fresh garlic should be chopped or crushed and it should be raw. "In a study involving 146 people, participants received either a garlic supplement or a placebo for 12 weeks between November and February. People who took garlic reduced the risk of catching a cold by more than half."

4. Most commonly is Vitamin C...In 1968, Linus Pauling, PhD, proposed that 1,000 mg of vitamin C daily could reduce the incidence of colds for most people. As is with all cold remedies, this is theory based, but if it works it works right? Don't try taking more than the daily allotment of vitamin C though because it will irritate your digestive system.

5. Last but not least is honey. My Dad swears by this and I know he attempts to put honey in everything. (Not always a good thing haha.) A new study in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine provides the first evidence showing that honey may help to calm children's coughs and help them sleep better. And the darker the honey, the more antioxidants it has. =o)

To all of you, I hope you make it through the cold season as comfortable as possible.

Labels: alternative medicine, cold remedies, herbal