My Natural Sick-Day Saviors That Really Work!

Let's face it, sick days are the absolute worst. Dealing with the headaches, fevers, runny noses and sore throats can be such a battle. I'm currently on my fourth day of a cold that, rather annoyingly, took over my entire weekend. I've also had to skip the gym today and have a rest day instead (the gym-junkie in me is very sad right now.) 

My Mum brought us up to not rely on medicines too much, and instead try to use natural remedies to kick the flu. Obviously we always have paracetamol stocked up and I've been taking some every four hours or so. But there are tonnes of great ingredients that you can add to your diet while you're unwell and can actually take the brunt of a really bad cold away.

Chili Peppers

I'm not entirely sure of the science behind it, but I always make sure to have lots of spicy food when I'm ill. It's the best thing to clear your nose and can actually help a sore throat. It feels like a blast to your dulled down system during a cold and is probably going to burn off some of those bad bugs. I just feel so much better when I've had something hot and spicy in a meal! 

Ginger 

Another spicy ingredient that I always have more of during a cold. One of the reasons it's so good for you is because it has antibacterial properties to help get rid of the bad stuff. It also helps with mucus, which is something I've noticed that I've been lacking this time with my cold. Thanks ginger!

Lush Ultrabalm 

You know when it gets to that point in your cold where your poor nose is dry and your upper lip is just needing that little bit of TLC? This is where a balm can be a real savior. Whether you use this Lush one, or just some Vaseline, it will help repair the damage of runny noses and tissues. It's also a bit of comfort and relief to get some moisture back into that area. I always keep my Ultrabalm with me when I'm sick to help get my skin back to normal.

Lemon & Honey 

This is a pretty obvious one, but still so necessary to help save you when you're sick. This time around I have been brewing some green tea with ginger, adding some lemon slices and a teaspoon of honey. It never fails to stop my throat from hurting. With honey having amazing healing qualities, it's great for an inflamed throat. Not gonna lie, sometimes I just have honey straight from the bottle.

Echinacea Drops 

These have been an absolute savior for my family over the past couple of years. The drops do taste awful, but they are so amazing at both preventing colds and helping your feel better sooner. I usually start to take them if I feel a cold coming on, or three times a day when I'm actually sick. We usually take the bottle with us on holiday too, since it's so easy to catch something on planes. My brother got ill in San Francisco, but the rest of us took the drops and didn't catch it at all. I highly recommend getting some!

Oranges, Pineapple, Kiwifruit 

Pretty much any fruit that's high in Vitamin C, I eat lots of it! Upping your fruit and vegetable intake is really important when you're battling a cold. All those extra nutrients and vitamins can help take the brunt of your symptoms and get you feeling better in no time. Having smoothies are a great way to get more fruit into your diet and get some good stuff back into your body.

Spinach 

With having some extra fruit in your diet while you're unwell, you want to make sure that the Vitamin C is getting absorbed properly. The best thing for this is to make sure you are getting enough iron as well. This is where I love spinach and I try to sneak it into more of my meals. It's really easy to chuck into a smoothie with some of your fruit (don't worry, you won't actually taste it) or fry some up with scrambled eggs and toast for lunch. Yum!

So those are my go-to natural remedies! Ever since I've taken a healthier approach to fighting off a cold, I've found that it's never as bad when I do get sick. By changing my diet slightly and adding more good stuff, I know I'm able to get better quicker than if I was just relying on medication. I try and use a balance of both, but the things I listed above have worked for me again and again. 

I hope this helps anyone else who is currently fighting off a cold too!

What are your sick day saviors? 

Steph x.