Sick Again

You think that, just because you're sick, you should get to sit around watching TV and sifting though internet dating profiles in cities you'll never even visit? Think again. Studies have shown that, instead of sitting and "resting" all day, you should work up a sweat instead. Go for a brisk walk or do a cardio class or lift weights for an hour or so. While you don't want to exhaust yourself (this will make you sicker) you do want to raise your body temperature. Just like when you have a fever, a higher body temperature will help to kill off some of the cold germs floating around in your body. You'll also get more oxygen to your white blood cells, helping even more to fight off your cold.

When you wake up feeling sick and sniffly, the last thing you want to do is eat a big, high-calorie meal. But it's time to take a deep breath and dig in, because that's exactly what you should do to fight a cold. In Holland they've recently done studies into the effect your breakfast can have on the cold virus. In this study, they discovered that a person who eats a 1,200 calorie (yes, that's a lot!) breakfast has 450% more antiviral agents in their blood. And those that skip breakfast lose 17% of their antivirals-- they're practically begging to keep feeling sick!

While it may be difficult to eat a full 1,200 calories for breakfast every day for a week, you should make an effort to eat a larger breakfast when you're feeling under the weather. In addition to your normal bowl of cereal, add a couple of eggs, some fruit and yogurt, and a nice slice of cheese. You'll get a big morning treat, and your cold virus will get plenty of antivirals to fight against.

When you're not feeling well, your instinct is probably to take it easy on yourself. You probably imagine that getting stressed out or overly excited is bad for your already overtaxed immune system. Well, it's not. In a study done by Ohio State University, people who are under stress see their levels of SIgA, a protein necessary to the immune system, increase. In other words, stress feeds your immune system, making it more effective at fighting off the cold virus.

Of course, this doesn't mean you should work all hours of the day and never relax or rest. But you should let yourself deal with stressful situations during the day-- if a project is late or your boss gives you a hard time, embrace the stress. It just might keep you healthy.

Biologists in Canada who were recently playing around with one of the viruses responsible for the common cold discovered something very interesting. Green tea --the same one you're supposed to drink for a healthy heart and a fast metabolism-- stopped the cold virus from replicating. Why? Apparently, the chemicals found in many teas (but mostly green teas) work against the cold virus.

Staying hydrated when you feel a cold coming on is a good idea no matter what. But if you flush your body out with green tea, you might just take away the cold virus's ability to replicate and sicken you further. In fact, doctors say that drinking lots of green tea can make the difference between being laid up for several days and simply getting a runny nose for a day or so.

While this isn't a clear cure for the common cold, the steam from a hot shower is something that will always make you feel better. Let the shower heat up, hop in, and relax in the steamy stall for five or ten minutes, breathing in plenty of steam. The heat in the steam will kill any cold germs in your nostrils, and will help break up any mucus in your lungs or nasal passages.