It’s cold and flu season, and regardless of how hard you try not to, you still might get sick. Antibiotics don’t cure a cold, and plenty of over-the-counter medicines can leave you feeling lethargic. To combat a cold quickly and naturally, try these home remedies! Get plenty of rest – Your body needs all the energy it can get to fight off the cold. If you’re able to get a lot of sleep as soon as your throat feels sore, you have a good chance of fighting off the cold before it takes you out. Make sure you’re completely over your illness before jumping back into your regular routine. Drink plenty of fluids – When you’re sick, you’re losing a lot of fluids from sweating, blowing your nose, and coughing. Drinking plenty of water helps to speed up recovery as well as flushing out toxins that prolong colds. You can opt for hot drinks, such as tea and soups, that may ease symptoms of congestion. Get plenty of vitamin C – Vitamin C helps to keep our immune systems in check, which is essential to maintain when fighting off a cold. Make sure that you’re eating plenty of oranges to up your intake when you’re ill. You can also eat strawberries, kiwis, and green leafy vegetables, which all have high vitamin C contents. Avoid milk and dairy products – These products cause your body to create more mucus, nasal congestion, and pressure, making it harder for your body to clean out the cold. Use a steam treatment – Steam from a pot of boiled water will help to loosen the mucus in your nasal passages so that you can breathe easier. For even better results, add a couple of drops of eucalyptus oil into the pot! If you have a humidifier, use that according to the directions. Eat garlic – Garlic has plenty of health benefits! It has antiviral, antibiotics, and antimicrobial properties, making it ideal to ease cold symptoms. You can take supplements, but it’s most effective when eaten raw. The professionals at Tompkins Insurance Agencies wish you a speedy recovery! For the help that you need when choosing an insurance policy, contact our team for guidance.