A Common Enemy

Shorten That Cold
Zinc and vitamin C lozenges: One every two to three hours on the first day. For those with sensitive teeth (lozenges are sour), three vitamin C tablets (500 mg) a day (after breakfast, lunch and dinner), and 50 mg of elemental zinc.
Carrot and tomato soup: Vitamin A helps heal inflamed mucous membranes and strengthens the immune system. Tomato has lycopene, a powerful anti-oxidant, to help fight diseases and infections.
Mixed lentil kichdi soup: Amino acids are required for healing. The combination of dal and rice makes for complimentary amino acids and provides complete proteins to vegetarians. For non vegetarians, add chicken.
Eucalyptus oil: Six drops in two cups of boiling water for steam. Four to five drops on the pillow at bed-time.
Ginger tea with honey: Ginger is anti-inflammatory, brings down internal inflammation levels and reduces cold symptoms.
Avoid milk and milk products: They cause more mucous production. Tell your mum to use the haldi milk for tonsilitis, not a cold.

Immunity Boosters

Fruit & Vegetables: About three to four servings of fruit and vegetables a day can reduce risk of diseases by 30-40%.
Pop a pill: Every working urban adult needs a multi-vitamin pill. Supplement this with higher doses of Vitamin E, C and zinc and calcium with 400 international units (IU) of Vitamin D one hour after dinner.
Move your body: Get moving for 30 minutes a day, four days a week. It ups immunity drastically. Over-working out or under-working out lowers it.
The powers of zzzzzz: Eight hours. No less. No more.
Listen to your body: and learn from your family history. Get on a preventive diet for what your parents, grandparents have/had. It will save you money on medical bills and, maybe, your life.
Switch to mineral: Drink eight to ten glasses of water to flush the toxins out. Mineral water boosts immunity, while purified water strips essential minerals from water.
Eat the good fats: Include oily fish, nuts and seeds in your diet. Use plenty of raw virgin olive oil in salads and mustard oil for regular cooking.
Be social, stay connected, have fun: It has been proven scientifically that a positive person falls ill less often.
Have regular sex: Sex releases happy hormones that boost immunity, burns calories and keeps the hormonal cycle in order. Women are prone to diseases when their hormonal cycles get affected.
Practise stress reduction techniques: Regular breathing exercises like pranayama relieve stress and cold.

Reproduced from Outlook Business's Wellness Column by Rachna Chhachhi