Beating Ballwin's Flu Season

I should have known better than to speak the words "I haven't been sick in quite some time" aloud. A Labor Day weekend trip to Chicago for a music festival had me feeling in tip-top shape. I walked over 40 miles, danced and was full of energy.

I was diligent through the weekend, health fans, washing my hands frequently and using my sanitizer lotion. It just wasn't enough to avoid what I think was the the culprit behind my wicked cold: The low-cost bus carrier for the transit home. I was too tired to pull out my sanitizer from my suitcase when I heard coughs resonating on the bus, and my face and hands lolled against the seats while I napped on the ride.

And less than 24-hours, my first tough cold for quite some time. Swollen throat, chills, fever, and all. So how did I cope with nothing but myself and my Ballwin home?

1. Tea, tea, and more tea. Staying hydrated and flushing my system, I also wanted the warm comfort of tea to soothe my throat. I headed to Whole Foods in Town and Country to see what cold-related offerings they had. I chose Yogi Tea's Cold Season Sampler with Echinacea Support, Cold Season, Breathe Deep and Throat Comfort Teas. Echinacea supports cold prevention, but doesn't help treat colds, according to the National Institute of Health's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM).

'Cold Season' contains ginger and eucalyptus, which NCCAM says shows budding support for anti-inflammatory and nausea relief. Breathe Deep claims to have ingredients that support mucus membranes, which are vital to respiratory health. My favorite was Throat Comfort, which has slippery elm. Slippery Elm, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, protects mucus membranes to soothe sore respiratory tracts.

I also have become a fan of Republic of Tea's Double Red Rooibos Tea, which contains Rooibos, a plant I read about doing research for my Master's in Nutrition. It which has a high level of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

I top of my tea with some honey for more relief. A study published in the Daily Mail found that eating honey shortened a cold by 2 days, in addition to the immediate coating relief of the substance.

Remember, any time you choose to try an herbal tea, check a reputable website or your with your doctor to see if there could be any interactions with the medicines you currently take.

2. Footed pajamas. I am a hearty believer that being comfy
helps me recover faster (or at least alleviates some of the discomfort of sniffles or chills). And apparently, there is some science to back that up: Research published on CNN.com found that drops in body temperature can foster a cold.

I have 2 pairs. Both have feet, arms and and a body piece that zip, all together. These jammies are readily available at , Wal-Mart and Kohl’s for children and babies, but it’s a little harder to find them for adults. 

At 5'5", I can fit into a girls 14/16 size of a Wal-Mart onsie. Still, it never hurts to try on a pair, which man of these retailers sell for around $15 a pair.

My other pair was a gift sold by an online vendor, and has several other features, although it was much more expensive. The material is a thicker fleece, with detachable feet, a hood, thumb holes, pockets, and my name embroidered. Ask anyone who has had the chance to luxuriate in one of these cozy outfits- you’ll be a convert. When chills take over your body, they're especially helpful.

3. GOOD chicken noodle soup: Few things are worse, to me, than
a wimpy chicken noodle soup. If you have someone willing to nurse you, see if they’ll pick up some veggies from the or Whole Foods. Whole Foods and Costco also have cooked rotisserie chicken deals throughout the week, so you can load up on your protein. Any grocer has a variety of broth mixes, and noodles can be customized to your favorites as well.

If no one has time to take care of poor-old-you, my personal pick for to-go chicken noodle soup is St. Louis Bread Company, of which there are several in the Ballwin-Ellisville area. But why chicken noodle and not cream of tomato? Really, any broth-based soup with vegetables
and protein will do. Cream soups increase mucus production because of dairy content. Chew On That Blog has some interesting tidbits on other benefits of chicken noodle soup.

And don't forget to rest! You won't do yourself any good if you don't give yourself time to heal. Take that sick day to avoid extra unwanted days away from work the following week.