Fighting the Good Fight ....

.... Against seasonal colds! Onward and upward!

As a rule, our family spends either Thanksgiving or Christmas sick, and we usually miss at least half of our Christmas season dates (parties, etc.) because of a nice Christmastime cold.

This year, I waited nervously all through December.... still well.... Christmas approaching.... still okay... Hurray! I made it till this past Sunday (when my parents arrived to visit) with no cold in sight. Hurray!!!

I woke up on Monday morning with a nice sore throat. A really good, solid, "Oh crud, I'm in for it now" sore throat.

Grrrr.

So anyhow, I was majorly upset. Sick just in time to be sick for Christmas, to get my parents sick, and to pass on the germs in time for everyone to be ill for Christmas.

I hit the cold hard with every weapon I had in my arsenal. Over and over again, hoping something would help, with the grand result that on Tuesday I woke up feeling.... much worse! Hurray!

However, at about noon, I suddenly got the feeling that I was no longer getting sicker, but was getting better, and by evening I felt great (though still with a minor sore throat). Since then, I have progressed through the usual cold progression (sniffing, coughing), but at about 2% of normal levels (almost unnoticeable).

Something worked!!!

So, with hopes of helping out anyone out there, here is my arsenal of cold remedies that I used, and I hope they're of use to someone!

(1) Zicam, orally dissolving tablets - 1 every three hours after onset of symptoms.

(2)  Vitamin C therapy - From a friend of mine. Took 2000-3000 mg at onset of symptoms, then 1500 mg every hours afterwards (can do 1000mg, especially if bowel tolerance is reached).

(3) Echinacea - Lots. And lots. And lots. Basically, death by echinacea. Went nuts. Two every couple of hours, at least.

(4) Hydrogen peroxide ear treatment. Google it!

(5) Apple Cider Vinegar - 1 to 2 Tbsp. in water, three times a day, preferably on an empty stomach. Got that one off the Arizona birth network yahoo! group for an ear infection, and it seemed to have a good effect.

(6) Airborne - Just for fun, and because it is so very, very yummy. 

Also, the ever-present:

(7) Rest. As in, "that thing I would be doing a lot more of if I didn't have children." But I did mooch around a good deal, as in - "Mommy, I want to go outside!" Me: "Mmmrrph."

(8) Fluids. I've been setting a challenge lately to myself to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day, and I kept doing that - and I think it really helped.

Merry Christmas! Stay well!