Cure for the Common Cold

[Rebel]

Well, it's November, and some places are starting to cool off. With cooler weather comes illness. With illness comes times that suck. I have this little recipe from The Spice Necklace by Ann Vanderhoof that is popular in the Caribbean and is supposed to make you feel better. It seems to work for me:

Ingredients:
- 2 cups of water
- 1/4 cup dark rum (50 ml)
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice, fresh squeezed (25 ml)
- 1 Tablespoon honey, brown sugar, or raw sugar (15 ml)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice (0.5 ml)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Freshly ground nutmeg, to taste

Directions:
- Boil 2 cups of water
- Place rum, lime juice, sweetener, and ground cloves/allspice in a large mug.
- Top off mug with boiling water (you may not use all the water) and stir with the cinnamon stick. Sprinkle nutmeg on top.
- Get into bed, pull the covers up to your chin, and sip slowly, inhaling the steam as you drink.

Makes 1 dose.

Excerpt:
"Islanders swear it will make you feel better when you're plagued by sneezing and chills. Some proponents say the nutmeg helps sweat the illness out of your body."

 

[Mexican_Hippie]

A lot of anti-inflammatory and antibiotic ingredients in it. I'm sure it helps, but the cold is a virus. Can't really cure it.

 

[TheDan]

Alka Seltzer plus D to knock out the symptoms and 5hr energy to keep me awake has been working good for me the last few years

I think I would add the rum last on your recipe. You'd burn off too much alcohol pouring boiling water on top of it.

 

[Acera]

Alka Seltzer plus D to knock out the symptoms and 5hr energy to keep me awake has been working good for me the last few years

I think I would add the rum last on your recipe. You'd burn off too much alcohol pouring boiling water on top of it.

Or skip the entire process and just drink the rum, that is the active ingredient anyway.

 

[DubiousDan]

The last cold I had I tried Zicam and my symptoms were very mild and the cold was gone within a few days. The rest of the family was miserable for at least a week.

 

[itchin]

The old zinc nazal spray works well. I heard the FDA banned it.

 

[Ole Cowboy]

Well, it's November, and some places are starting to cool off. With cooler weather comes illness. With illness comes times that suck. I have this little recipe from The Spice Necklace by Ann Vanderhoof that is popular in the Caribbean and is supposed to make you feel better. It seems to work for me:

Ingredients:
- 2 cups of water
- 1/4 cup dark rum (50 ml)
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice, fresh squeezed (25 ml)
- 1 Tablespoon honey, brown sugar, or raw sugar (15 ml)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice (0.5 ml)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Freshly ground nutmeg, to taste

Directions:
- Boil 2 cups of water
- Place rum, lime juice, sweetener, and ground cloves/allspice in a large mug.
- Top off mug with boiling water (you may not use all the water) and stir with the cinnamon stick. Sprinkle nutmeg on top.
- Get into bed, pull the covers up to your chin, and sip slowly, inhaling the steam as you drink.

Makes 1 dose.

Excerpt:
"Islanders swear it will make you feel better when you're plagued by sneezing and chills. Some proponents say the nutmeg helps sweat the illness out of your body."

EQUAL amounts of:

Water
Honey
Lemon juice*
Whiskey*

* can be Lime and Rum

Stir in a large cup 8 oz+, put in microwave and bring to almost a boil and drink as hot as you can stand.

If at the end you are not feeling better, mix up another one...cures ALL

 

[Rebel]

Not an actual cure, more of a feel better thing.

I'll have to try adding the rum last next time I make this. Admittedly, I only make this when it's cold as hell and I don't feel like making tea or coffee.

As Ole Cowboy says, it works well with whiskey too.

 

[picker]

Or skip the entire process and just drink the rum, that is the active ingredient anyway.

Now that's the best idea I've heard all day
best. Joe

 

[rushthezeppelin]

Vit D and C have served me well for about any tinge of illness I've gotten in the last decade. Also zinc lozenges help boost stuff some too. Really having all the major essential nutrients and minerals helps, they are all used by the immune system. Also I never take any fever reducers. Fever is a good thing, it's the bodies way of literally burning off nasties and there's really no danger of it causing damage until you hit about 107. I just bundle up in bed and sweat it out and I'm usually right as rain in the morning.

 

[shortround]

There is no "cure" for the Flu.

The best palliative for the Flu is Chicken Soup.

Not the canned stuff!

Made from scratch, Chicken Soup does more for a scratchy throat, chest congestion, runny nose, sore muscles, upset stomach, diarrhea, and a raging fever than any over-the-counter remedies can do.

 

[TheDan]

Any kind of soup is good when you're sick. I prefer hot and sour soup or some spicy tom yum. Spicy is great when you're sick because taste buds are dulled and need the extra help, plus it's like a laxative for your sinuses.

 

[Mike1234567]

What's with all these other ingredients? Just sip the booze at room temperature and alternate with a hot beverage. Sip a shot of booze... cup of hot tea, coffee, broth... whatever. Add vitamins, D, C and zinc. Take antihistamines (not decongestant type because combined with D will raise your BP). BTW, Niacin lowers BP so it counteracts D's tendency to increase BP. Keep your nose blown/dry, your throat clear and cough as much as needed to keep your lungs clear. Gargle with warm salt water and Listerine 3-4x daily. If you have a Waterpick then get a nasal adapter and run warm (not hot) saltwater through your sinuses (look up how that's done). Your cold is gone in no time.