A cold is one of the most common illnesses, but should you treat it or carry it on until it cures naturally, as some people say? I’m afraid no one can say the answer. Among the various natural remedies against cold, which is more effective, oranges or chicken soup, which should be eaten or starved, and which should not be touched, chocolate or milk ……, there are many different opinions that make it difficult to distinguish the truth from the false. The three “one” truths about the cold The first “one”: the cold is a virus-induced upper respiratory tract infection “syndrome”, there are more than 100 kinds of viruses may induce The second “one”: generally speaking, the symptoms of a cold last for a week, with or without medication; the third “one”: the beginning of a cold should be a day before the symptoms appear, when the virus has already taken up residence in your body. To be more precise, the cold virus is latent in the body for 18-48 hours and then suddenly breaks out. The earliest symptoms include a sore throat, sneezing, a stuffy, runny nose, and fatigue. In English, because “cold” and “cold” are the same word, many people think that a cold is a “cold”. This is not the case. Whether you’re underdressed, walking barefoot on the floor or leaving the house without blow-drying your hair, it won’t cause you to catch a cold – but it will cause your resistance to drop, allowing viruses to take advantage of it. In contrast, dryness is more likely to bring on a cold because the body’s mucous membranes’ ability to fight viruses is reduced by a lack of water. Colds also strike everyone differently. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children get colds 8-10 times a year, and school-going children get as many as 12, not because they have poor resistance, but because children are closer and have a greater chance of spreading the virus. In contrast, “indifferent” adults get colds 2-4 times a year, more women than men, and women in their 30s are the most vulnerable because they are the main ones who take care of children. After 60, the number of colds decreases to an average of 1 per year. It is better to take medicine indiscriminately than to rest Many people do not know that there is actually no cure for colds. Some people will take antibiotics, but in fact, antibiotics cannot destroy the virus at all, and taking medicine indiscriminately may aggravate the disease. The main effect of cold medicine is to relieve the symptoms and make you feel better and rest better, but it does not shorten the course of the illness. So, what exactly are the things you must do after a cold? Step 1: Find a bed. After a cold, it’s best to find yourself a comfortable bed to lie down in. Don’t think about going to work, and don’t resist going out to party, have fun or play sports. Sleep is the “best cold medicine”, so make sure you get 8 hours of sleep every day. If you can, it is better to take 1-2 days off from work to rest at home, so that you can spread the disease to others less often. Step 2: Take some vitamin C. Either taking vitamin C supplements or eating fruits rich in vitamin C, such as dates, oranges, kiwis, oranges, grapefruit, etc., can help relieve cold symptoms. Generally speaking, fruits with heavy acidity have a lot of vitamin C content. Drinking orange juice can eliminate the discomfort in the mouth while replenishing vitamin C. Step 3: Eat a piece of dark chocolate. It not only replenishes antioxidants, the University of London research also shows that the theobromine contained in it has coughing effect. Step 4: Turn on the humidifier. The dry air in autumn and winter can make the respiratory tract feel uncomfortable. Placing a humidifier next to your bed or sofa will allow you to breathe more smoothly. Before use, it is best to clean it thoroughly to avoid the spread of viruses through it. Step 5: Eat liquid food. Hot soup and hot porridge are both good choices. The saying that chicken soup cures colds has been passed down for centuries, and scholars have found this to be true because certain ingredients in chicken soup can reduce coughs, and the steam from hot soup and hot porridge helps relieve nasal congestion. Step 6: Change to a bigger glass of water. Make sure you drink 2,000 ml of water a day, some of which should preferably be an electrolyte drink. Step 7: Stay away from dairy products. Cheese and other more difficult-to-digest dairy products are best avoided when you have a cold, but you can drink some milk as appropriate. If you have a bad appetite, you can drink some yogurt. Step 8: Take over-the-counter medicines. Over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen, paracetamol or cough syrup can relieve the symptoms of a cold. Although these medicines can’t fight the virus, they can make you feel better. Step 9: Be patient and wait for it to pass. It will take about 7 days for your illness to go away on its own. But if symptoms persist or get dramatically worse, it’s best to go to the hospital and ask your doctor for a diagnosis. Three treasures for dealing with colds Colds are not a major illness, but the persistent symptoms make it difficult for many people to sit still. For the three main symptoms of sore throat, cough and nasal congestion, tips are given to relieve them. Sore throat: light salt water. Dissolve 7.5 grams of salt in 250 ml of warm water and gargle slowly to relieve a sore throat, every 6-8 hours. Do not use harsh mouthwashes; they may exacerbate respiratory dryness. It is best to swallow harder foods slowly to avoid scratching the pharynx. If your voice is hoarse, avoid talking or shouting in noisy environments. You can also prepare some tablets or sprays to use when symptoms are more severe. Cough: Cough syrup. Coughing is a means for the body to remove exogenous substances, but a violent cough can disrupt sleep or cause chest pain. The best thing to do is to drink cough syrup when coughing is intense. Snotty nose: hot steam. It is best to use soft tissues when blowing your nose, as this will prevent it from rubbing off. It is important not to blow your nose too hard, and the standard for the degree is to hear no buzzing sound in your ears to avoid damage to the eardrums. If it is difficult to blow your nose, you can “smell” hot steam or peppermint oil, or use nose drops.