Natural Remedies Debunked: At-Home Ways to Make Yourself Feel Better part 3 - women campus
Ginger & Honey
Just a spoonful of each helps your temperature stay down
Ginger, like garlic, has a very strong flavor. I usually stick to gingersnaps and mildly spicy Thai food, myself. However, Annie Yang, a Her Campus intern from Harvard University, is quick to argue that ginger can be taken with honey to offset the slightly harsh taste of the root. "In Chinese culture, root ginger is often used as a home remedy and it is usually incorporated into a dish," Annie says. "For example, whenever I get a cold I add slices of ginger into my chicken noodle soup. Also, Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa is a traditional Chinese medicine cough syrup that is made with honey and loquat. It really helps soothe the throat [and is] better than cough drops in my opinion."
Verdict:
Soup's up! Spice up your usual chicken soup with some shredded ginger and then snuggle up in bed after taking a teaspoon of Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa. You may not be able to buy a bottle of this home remedy at the local pharmacy near campus, but scout around online or ask your friends if they know where to find it. The infusion of honey in this cough syrup sounds better than any dose of Robitussin, any day.
Fresh Oranges
The real fruit that keeps the doctor away
Vitamin C is probably the go-to nutrient for anyone who has ever been bedridden. It comes in so many forms (pill, soda and, oh yeah, fruit) that it might even be the first thing you think of when you catch the sniffles—it certainly is for Cat Combs, Campus Correspondent from Tulane. "Every time I start feeling sick I preemptively start drinking large amounts of orange juice and eating better foods to boost my immune system," Cat divulges. But is OJ enough?
Connie's take:
"Research shows that vitamin C does not prevent colds but can shorten the duration of the cold," says the nutritionist. "However, most studies indicate food sources are better than supplements."
Verdict:
Start comparing apples and oranges. As Connie says, oranges won't hold off an inevitable sickness but they can make sure it doesn't hang around like an unwanted third roommate. Even though fresh fruit is sometimes hard to find on campus, don't assume that Hall's Vitamin C cough drops or orange-flavored tea will cut it. Fresh is always best.
Taking a Breather
Some good old R&R to help you get through your day
Getting some sleep. Taking a nap. Catching your breath. I know that I'll wind up on the receiving end of myriad blank cyber-stares by telling Her Campus readers to take a breather when they're feeling overwhelmed, but I'll go for it anyway. Readers: try to get some rest! I often get sick when I'm sleep-deprived and stressed, and I know that I'm not an exception. If you don't believe me, take Melanie Yates's word for it. The HC staffer is not only a fan of lemon and lime, but also of R&R. "I've been pretty fortunate to never have [gotten] that sick at school, but whenever I'm feeling under the weather due to stress, the quickest remedy I can think of is laying flat on my back and breathing deeply," says Melanie. "Taking five to ten minutes to just clear your mind and breathe calms the body right down and allows you to get right back to work without feeling overwhelmed. If you have around 15-30 minutes to spare, listen to a guided meditation podcast on iTunes (most of them are free!) and you will feel wonderful afterwards."
Verdict:
Sometimes the best pill is a chill pill. Before you pump yourself up with medicine try to catch up with yourself, take inventory of yourself and your surroundings, and breathe.
Holding Off On the Alcohol
I don't know of any myths that suggest that drinking alcohol will keep you from getting sick, but I'm willing to be surprised. In the meantime, Connie has a bit of advice for students who are curious about how having a few drinks will affect them when they're feeling under the weather.
"[Since] alcohol is a diuretic, when [you're] fighting a fever or dealing with nausea dehydration there is a risk that [your condition] can be aggravated with alcohol intake," she says plainly. "If people are dealing with colds, alcohol can interact with cold medications and further dry out the respiratory tract and increase the risk for infection. If someone chooses to drink alcohol while sick they should consume plenty of water at the same time."
Verdict:
Use your judgment. In an ideal world, sick college students won't play drinking games and risk their health—or more importantly, risk giving the entire student body mono or H1N1. But until that germ-free utopia comes, play it safe if you decide to drink when you're sick. Stay hydrated (with water!), and try to get some rest.
Some people might argue that a trip to the doctor is all that anyone needs to do to get back in fighting form (and if you're struggling with a sickness that can't be cured with hot tea and bed rest, please go to student health services). Nonetheless, many of these home remedies are worth trying, as are old favorites like being hygienic and eating well. Connie's final bit of advice is to wash hands routinely, keep intake of fruits and vegetables high, and consume plenty of fluids. "The most important step is a healthy diet all the time so that body stores are adequate to fight infection," she says. "[And when you are sick] keep fluids high and focus on smaller meals, more often to make eating easier." Being well-versed in at-home cures will save you a lot of time and money, and more importantly you'll feel pretty good about the fact that you can take care of yourself.
Sources
Members of the Her Campus Team
Connie Diekman, the Director of Nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis, past President of the American Dietetic Association, and author of The Everything Mediterranean Diet Book
"Chamomile: an anti-inflammatory agent inhibits inducible nitric oxide synthase expression by blocking RelA/p65 activity."
Images
http://www.alternativemedicineaz.com/
Just a spoonful of each helps your temperature stay down
Ginger, like garlic, has a very strong flavor. I usually stick to gingersnaps and mildly spicy Thai food, myself. However, Annie Yang, a Her Campus intern from Harvard University, is quick to argue that ginger can be taken with honey to offset the slightly harsh taste of the root. "In Chinese culture, root ginger is often used as a home remedy and it is usually incorporated into a dish," Annie says. "For example, whenever I get a cold I add slices of ginger into my chicken noodle soup. Also, Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa is a traditional Chinese medicine cough syrup that is made with honey and loquat. It really helps soothe the throat [and is] better than cough drops in my opinion."
Verdict:
Soup's up! Spice up your usual chicken soup with some shredded ginger and then snuggle up in bed after taking a teaspoon of Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa. You may not be able to buy a bottle of this home remedy at the local pharmacy near campus, but scout around online or ask your friends if they know where to find it. The infusion of honey in this cough syrup sounds better than any dose of Robitussin, any day.
Fresh Oranges
The real fruit that keeps the doctor away
Vitamin C is probably the go-to nutrient for anyone who has ever been bedridden. It comes in so many forms (pill, soda and, oh yeah, fruit) that it might even be the first thing you think of when you catch the sniffles—it certainly is for Cat Combs, Campus Correspondent from Tulane. "Every time I start feeling sick I preemptively start drinking large amounts of orange juice and eating better foods to boost my immune system," Cat divulges. But is OJ enough?
Connie's take:
"Research shows that vitamin C does not prevent colds but can shorten the duration of the cold," says the nutritionist. "However, most studies indicate food sources are better than supplements."
Verdict:
Start comparing apples and oranges. As Connie says, oranges won't hold off an inevitable sickness but they can make sure it doesn't hang around like an unwanted third roommate. Even though fresh fruit is sometimes hard to find on campus, don't assume that Hall's Vitamin C cough drops or orange-flavored tea will cut it. Fresh is always best.
Taking a Breather
Some good old R&R to help you get through your day
Getting some sleep. Taking a nap. Catching your breath. I know that I'll wind up on the receiving end of myriad blank cyber-stares by telling Her Campus readers to take a breather when they're feeling overwhelmed, but I'll go for it anyway. Readers: try to get some rest! I often get sick when I'm sleep-deprived and stressed, and I know that I'm not an exception. If you don't believe me, take Melanie Yates's word for it. The HC staffer is not only a fan of lemon and lime, but also of R&R. "I've been pretty fortunate to never have [gotten] that sick at school, but whenever I'm feeling under the weather due to stress, the quickest remedy I can think of is laying flat on my back and breathing deeply," says Melanie. "Taking five to ten minutes to just clear your mind and breathe calms the body right down and allows you to get right back to work without feeling overwhelmed. If you have around 15-30 minutes to spare, listen to a guided meditation podcast on iTunes (most of them are free!) and you will feel wonderful afterwards."
Verdict:
Sometimes the best pill is a chill pill. Before you pump yourself up with medicine try to catch up with yourself, take inventory of yourself and your surroundings, and breathe.
Holding Off On the Alcohol
I don't know of any myths that suggest that drinking alcohol will keep you from getting sick, but I'm willing to be surprised. In the meantime, Connie has a bit of advice for students who are curious about how having a few drinks will affect them when they're feeling under the weather.
"[Since] alcohol is a diuretic, when [you're] fighting a fever or dealing with nausea dehydration there is a risk that [your condition] can be aggravated with alcohol intake," she says plainly. "If people are dealing with colds, alcohol can interact with cold medications and further dry out the respiratory tract and increase the risk for infection. If someone chooses to drink alcohol while sick they should consume plenty of water at the same time."
Verdict:
Use your judgment. In an ideal world, sick college students won't play drinking games and risk their health—or more importantly, risk giving the entire student body mono or H1N1. But until that germ-free utopia comes, play it safe if you decide to drink when you're sick. Stay hydrated (with water!), and try to get some rest.
Some people might argue that a trip to the doctor is all that anyone needs to do to get back in fighting form (and if you're struggling with a sickness that can't be cured with hot tea and bed rest, please go to student health services). Nonetheless, many of these home remedies are worth trying, as are old favorites like being hygienic and eating well. Connie's final bit of advice is to wash hands routinely, keep intake of fruits and vegetables high, and consume plenty of fluids. "The most important step is a healthy diet all the time so that body stores are adequate to fight infection," she says. "[And when you are sick] keep fluids high and focus on smaller meals, more often to make eating easier." Being well-versed in at-home cures will save you a lot of time and money, and more importantly you'll feel pretty good about the fact that you can take care of yourself.
Sources
Members of the Her Campus Team
Connie Diekman, the Director of Nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis, past President of the American Dietetic Association, and author of The Everything Mediterranean Diet Book
"Chamomile: an anti-inflammatory agent inhibits inducible nitric oxide synthase expression by blocking RelA/p65 activity."
Images
http://www.alternativemedicineaz.com/
