Face it, unless you have some sort of mental condition, getting sick pretty much is one of the worst things. No one enjoys having less energy, coughing, spewing germs to others or any of a variety of symptoms associated with catching a cold.

But the reality is, even with all the amazing technology we have, going to the moon, high speed Internet services, etc., we still get colds on a regular basis. Once you’ve been infected by the nasty viruses that cause colds what are your options? How can you best defeat them and get back to your normal, happy self?

Without spending this articles length reprimanding readers about their lifestyles or living conditions which led up to and allowed for them to get sick in the first place, let’s focus instead on how to best counteract the effects of cold or flu symptoms.

Many of the things which might have protected you from getting sick to begin with, if put into place soon enough will surely provide faster relief and recovery once you have that cold. If you live with abnormal amounts of stress, do your best to reduce that and calm things down.

Inherently your overall lack of energy will probably help you out with this, but you can still allow the mental gyrations to aggravate your situation. Relax, both physically and mentally.

When you get a cold, your body needs as much of its energy and other resources to fight those invaders. One great way you can aid in that fight is by reducing the physical strain associated with food digestion. No, don’t stop consuming calories. The reality is we tend to overeat on most occasions. If you cut back on the amount of solid food you ingest and convert your caloric intake to fluids, such as juices and soups, you’ll allow your body to get the nutrients it still needs without having to divert some much of its limited resources to breaking down and converting those food solids to their usable building blocks.

There are two type of fluids you’ll probably want to avoid if possible. Dairy products will tend to induce extra mucus in the body, and you’ve already got enough of that going on with the side effects of the cold. Fruit juices with no added sugars or sweeteners are fine, but getting those low quality, 10% juice cocktails will only fill your body with a lot of added, processed sugars. These calories will increase your body’s metabolism and then drop you crashing to very low blood sugar levels.

Not good. Pretty much anything which adversely affects your natural rhythms and the overall flow of things is unlikely to provide positive effects for recovering from a cold.

Finally a few words on rest and activity. If you’re experiencing flu symptoms the best thing you can do is allow your body to rest and focus all its energy and abilities on fighting the virus inside your body.

On the other hand, when you have a cold the natural tendency is to want to rest and relax. By creating motion your body tends to break up mucus and allows fluid build ups to flow away and out of us.

Just be patient. When the cold of flu strikes, relax, determine what your symptoms are, then go about fighting off the forces which are wreaking havoc in your life. Realize that it is all temporary and you can be proactive in helping heal yourself.

Vern Marker is a freelance writer who is passionate about a number of health topics. His latest writings have been about electronic medical records and incorporating technology into the health industry.

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