I've got Cold

Fact Sheet from the Public Health Agency of
Canada.

I mean the sickness, just in case that wasn't clear. I tend to say always that I've the flu, like flu and cold are interchangeable terms, but as I was looking for a picture for this post, I found this useful fact sheet from the Public Health Agency of Canada, and thought about sharing it. Click on the link in the description and you can read the whole information.

I've been thinking about some topics for a post, and I even have an idea recorded on my phone - you know, one of those great ideas that come to you when you can't really stop to write stuff down, like when you are driving or in a yoga class - but then the cold striked and I don't feel like doing anything save curl up under the covers with a book, a hot beverage and my PJs.

I'm even skipping my Lesenklub meeting today, because - though I love going and I have a lot of things to say about the part we've just read - I know it's better for me to pack up my carcass, go home and make sure I remain well protected while the worse of the sickness passes.

Now, the thing is that some of my friends and colleagues have also been coming down with the cold, and each fights it their own way. Ok, some just relay on hopes and wishes because they carry on, spreading the disease like gospel. I'll share here with you my proven recipe to get the worse over as fast as possible.

Tips To Fight Cold

1. Get in bed and stay in bed, covered up to your chin for 24 hours, if possible, or as long as you can, but please make it several hours. I figured that this keeps your body warm, and helps your organism fight better the sickness. (Or so I've been told, and it seems to work).

2. Drink a lot of orange juice. Also try to consume vitamin C from as many natural sources as you can. If all fails, a Vitamin C tablet or one of those effervescent vitamin C tablets also help, BUT make sure to read the instructions.

3. If you take medication, TAKE IT ACCORDING TO THE INSTRUCTIONS. If it says "every eight hours", then take it every eight hours. Don't try to be "smart" about it.

4. Drink plenty of water, lemonade and the such. Your body needs the liquid to flush out, and again, if it comes with vitaming C, even better.

5. Drink hot beverages. Specially herbal tea if you can lay your hands on some.

6. If you can, have a spoonful of ginger syrup three times a day, or at least once a day. Ginger syrup is sharp, so it can be counterindicated for people with pancreas or liver issues.

If you don't know where to get ginger syrup (usually in Whole Foods or macrobiotic stores), or you don't trust industrially produced syrups, or there is none, or it's so expensive you would rather wait the cold out, here is an easy recipe for it.

Ginger Syrup

Picture from Mommypothamus. Check out their recipe too!

Ingredients:

a bit of fresh ginger root

honey

Procedure:

Slice the ginger root into small circles, or really, any shape you want. Circles are better because it you don't use the whole piece you can save the rest and keep it from drying out too much. Slice enough to cover up the bottom of a recipient.

Normally I do this on a medium pie pan to fit more, but you can do it in a jar and do a layer or two of slices.

Once the layer of ginger has been layed down, pour honey on it to cover it. If you make a single layer, covering it up with just until all the slices are under honey or maximum 1 cm more, is enough. If you have more layers try and make double de amount with honey.

Leave it covered the whole night.

In the morning you can take out the slices and take a spoonful of the syrup.

BE WARNED! The syrup will be much more liquid than the honey is and freaking spicy. If you choose to leave the slices of ginger in the honey, make sure to pour more honey as you take out of it. And before you ask me, yes, it is ok to add more honey if the syrup is so strong it threatens to exorcise your soul out of your body.