When you come down with a cold, your first thought is that you wish it could go away immediately. A virus drains your body and it seems like you blow your nose for hours, yet you still see mucus in the tissues. Perhaps you rely on a few strategies when you feel sick, and it usually stems from advice that your parents, grandparents, or other wise people gave you as a child. 

The unfortunate reality is that a lot of the old common cold advice you hold near and dear to your heart is usually more myth than fact. There is no sense in faulting the people who gave you this old folk wisdom, but you can learn to separate fact from fiction in this article. Read on to learn about some of the most common myths about catching or recovering from the common cold. We’ll also provide the real facts from health experts. 

Myth: Feed A Cold And Starve A Fever

The fact of the matter is that you need to rest and hydrate when you fall ill. If you don’t have an appetite or you have a fever, continue to replenish the body with fluids, including water, herbal teas, and electrolyte-rich beverages. Soups are easily digestible and can also aid your hydration efforts. They also provide essential nutrients, and that warmth can aid your recovery efforts. 

Myth: More Dairy Means More Mucus

According to health experts, dairy can make mucus thicker and it may upset your stomach, especially if you’re running a fever. Dairy doesn’t necessarily increase mucus, though. If you are lactose intolerant or have a sensitivity to dairy products, it may not be a conducive food to your recovery. Enjoying frozen yogurt or a frozen dairy product while sick may help some and harm others. This varies from person to person.

Myth: Antibiotics Treat A Cold

Researchers note that antibiotics treat infections caused by bacteria, and colds result from viruses, according to physicians. Antibiotics work by killing or slowing the growth of all bacteria, both good and bad. They can treat bacterial infections, such as strep throat, ear infections, or bronchitis. They cannot, however, cure viral infections. In fact, they can actually cause dangerous antibiotic resistance if you use them too often or incorrectly.

Myth: Your Cold Isn’t Contagious Unless You Have A Fever

You don’t have to have a fever to pass your cold to other people. That means that you have very few symptoms and be very contagious. People became hyper aware of that during the COVID-19 pandemic, as many people contracted that virus and were asymptomatic. A cold can be dangerous a day before the onset of symptoms. Colds are usually the most contagious in the first four days after symptoms start. Although viruses can remain in the body for weeks after symptoms end, the chance of spreading infection lessens as time passes.

Myth: You Can’t Do Much To Prevent Colds

Do you gargle salt water, use a Neti Pot, or drink lots of fluids when you have a cold? Although these efforts may not prevent you from getting sick, they may help reduce the severity and longevity of symptoms. If you want to prevent colds, you have to take extra precautions against everything. Experts suggest that you wash hands with soap frequently, stay hydrated, get sufficient sleep, avoid other sick people, eat a balanced diet, and regularly disinfect high-touch surfaces. Taking these extra precautions can help keep you healthy during cold and flu season.

Myth: You’ll Catch A Cold If You Go Outside With Wet Hair

This old gem still gets passed around like a bad game of telephone. Going outside with wet hair will make you feel cold, but it won’t cause sickness or a cold. Health experts explain that viruses and bacteria cause illnesses, usually when you are in close contact with another sick person. If you live in a colder climate, take extra care to wear warm clothing to protect against the weather. There’s no need to get frostbite, people!

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It’s standard procedure for a doctor to ask you to open your mouth and stick out your tongue at your annual physical. You may not think anything of it, but most physicians go through a checklist upon inspecting a patient’s tongue. A healthy tongue has a pinkish color, and any other discolorations or textures can potentially indicate an underlying health condition.

What if you could correct your overall health by simply examining your own tongue? Not only would it save you the hassle of going to your doctor’s office, but it could also help you address a problem before it progresses into something worse. Learning to read your tongue can help you know if you are sufficiently hydrated, suffering from diabetes, deficient in vitamins, or even dealing with an autoimmune disease. You’ll find the following tongue appearances helpful in your quest to managing your overall health.

White Coating

A white tongue or a tongue with white and pasty patches can be the result of a tongue infection, but it can also indicate a bacterial overgrowth, like candida. If it is a tongue infection, brush your tongue for a week or two to see if it goes away. If it doesn’t go away, it is most likely an overgrowth of yeast, which often causes oral thrush.

Geographic Tongue

The reason it is referred to as a geographic tongue is because the tongue appears map-like. You will most likely see smooth, red patches that have slightly raised borders, almost like little islands on the tongue. Geographic tongue is not caused by infection or cancer, and it affects about one to three percent of people. The cause is unknown and it tends to affect middle-aged or older adults.

Black And Hairy Tongue

It can be quite alarming to look at your tongue and see that it looks black or hairy-like. The tongue isn’t hairy, by the way; it just appears that way. The cause is typically benign. In fact, it is often associated with antibiotic use, cancer therapies, yeast infection, diabetes, or poor oral hygiene. This also occurs when the cells on the tongue grow faster than the body can shed them. It will most likely go away on its own.

Severely Dry Mouth

People who take diuretics, allergy medications, or blood pressure medication can suffer from an uncomfortable cracked tongue. If you must continue to take medication, it is imperative to stay sufficiently hydrated, avoid caffeine, and possibly brush with special toothpastes like Biotene for extreme cases.

Sore Spots

If you have ulcers or canker sores in the mouth, it is possible for them to creep up onto the tongue. Some people are predisposed to develop sore spots, while others never get them. Sore spots can often coincide with a cold, fever, or after eating a lot of citrus fruits. If a canker sore is the culprit, sore spots will disappear in about 7-10 days. You should consult your doctor if sore spots last longer than two to four weeks.

Redness

A rosy red tongue can often be caused by a sore throat, or strep throat in rare occasions. If strep throat is the culprit, you will most likely need to take antibiotics to remedy the issue. When the tongue is red and you don’t have a sore throat or fever, it could indicate a nutrient deficiency in B12, iron, or folate. You can get blood work done to determine this and plan how to up your nutrient intake from there.

Webbed Or Striped Look

When the immune system attacks cells in the mouth, it is possible for the tongue to appear webbed or striped. For some reason, middle-aged women are most susceptible to this. If you don’t experience any pain, a doctor may not need to treat it; rather, he/she will monitor symptoms. Catch it early because you don’t want to develop oral cancer in those areas.

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Oregano is not a mysterious or rare spice from the far corners of earth. Oregano is commonly used in different cuisines, but it has also been a healing herb for centuries. The plethora of immune-boosting and healing properties in oregano have been used to treat all sorts of illnesses, especially those having to do with infections.

How does one obtain these magnificent properties of oregano? One of the best ways to absorb the healing agents is to drink a soothing cup of oregano tea. Drinking oregano tea can help to soothe a sore throat, even strep throat, or combat a virus or infection in the body. Oregano’s antioxidants work to supercharge your immune system. The antioxidants responsible include rosmarinic acid and thymol.

Just when you thought oregano couldn’t get any better, it does. Studies have shown that the phytonutrients and antioxidants in oregano work to combat cancer cells. Oregano contains quercetin, which has been known to slow the growth of cancer cells and promote apoptosis (cell death).

Oregano Tea Works Best For

• Depression, flu, head lice, or warts
• Allergies, burns, or fatigue
• Constipation, parasites, or fungus
• Coughs, headaches, swollen glands, or bronchia troubles
• Indigestion, bloating, urinary problems, or gas

Oregano Tea Recipe

• 4-6 tablespoons of fresh oregano leaves
• 2½ cups of filtered water
• 1 tablespoon raw organic honey
• a tea strainer

Instructions:

• Boil the water in a saucepan and then remove from the heat. Put the oregano leaves into the water and let them steep for 5 minutes.
• Strain the mixture through a tea strainer and stir in the raw honey. Drink and enjoy.

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When you have strep throat, your throat may feel irritated, scratchy or sore. It is a bacterial infection that, if left untreated, can cause kidney inflammation or rheumatic fever. While this condition is common in children between ages 5 through 15, it can affect people of all ages.

What Causes Strep Throat?

Strep throat is caused by the bacterium known as Streptococcus pyogenes. It is a highly contagious bacterium that can be spread through airborne droplets from coughing or sneezing. The bacteria can also be contracted by sharing food, drinks, or touching surfaces, which have been infected, and then touching the mouth. Causes can include:

• The Streptococcus pygenes bacterium
• Sharing food or drinks
• Getting coughed or sneezed on by an infected person
• Touching infected surfaces (and then touching the mouth)

Natural Remedies

Get A Humidifier

It may be beneficial to put a humidifier in your room to help alleviate dryness in your throat. Additionally, it may help to inhale steam. You can poor boiling water into a bowl, let it cool for 5 minutes or so, put your face over the bowl, and drape a towel over your head and the bowl to trap the steam. Breathe deeply, and you can add a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil for added benefits.

Gargle With Salt Water

Gargling with salt water can help provide relief to a sore or dry throat, in addition to helping sooth the larynx. Add about 1 teaspoon of sea salt to a cup of warm water and gargle the solution little by little. Do this a couple times a day.

Drink Ginger Tea

Drinking fresh ginger tea is very beneficial for strep throat because ginger helps to soothe the inflamed mucus membranes. You can poor about a cup of boiling water over 8-10 slices of thinly sliced ginger root. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes and strain the liquid. You can add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and a little raw honey to the tea and drink this 2-3 times a day.

Chew Raw Garlic

Chewing raw garlic, while it may add quite the garlicky scent to your breath, can help kill bacteria or viruses. After chewing the garlic slowly it is best to swallow it. If you don’t want to chew garlic, you can add a couple chopped garlic cloves to a jar with equal parts apple cider vinegar and distilled water. Shake the jar to mix up the content and let it sit on the counter for 4 hours. Then add a little bit of raw honey before placing it into the refrigerator. You can take 1-3 tablespoons of this solution every 6-8 hours until symptoms reduce.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Because apple cider vinegar has antimicrobial properties, it can be a beneficial treatment for strep throat. Mix two tablespoons of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar and one tablespoon of raw honey in a half cup of water. To help yourself even more, add a few dashes of cayenne pepper to this concoction. Drink this twice a day until symptoms subside.

Get Some Rest

Make sure to get plenty of rest if you have strep throat. Sleep is the body’s natural way of regenerating and rest will only aid the healing process. Rest is critical, so stay inside, lounge about, and let the body relax.

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The colder months of the year typically see an increase in respiratory conditions. Whether you develop a common cough, allergies, or more serious things like bronchitis or strep throat, it is worth experimenting with a powerful natural solution. Better yet, you may consider adding oregano oil to your daily routine to improve the overall health and function of your lungs.

Rosmarinic acid and thymol, two powerful antioxidants, are in oregano oil and they have been known to reduce oxidative stress in the body. Oregano has been shown to contain four times more antioxidants than blueberries. These antioxidants can help nourish cells and fight free radicals in the body!

When pollen, dust, chemicals, or bacteria enter the body, your immune system releases histamine, a chemical that causes something similar to an allergic reaction. You may experience sneezing, increased mucus, or congestion when this happens. As mentioned above, oregano oil contains rosmarinic acid, which works to decrease this “allergic reaction” to foreign invaders. It helps to fight the bacteria before your immune system attacks it.

Because many people are realizing the damaging effects of antibiotics, many people are turning to herbal remedies like oregano oil. Not only is it beneficial for those with respiratory conditions, but it has also helped those with jaundice, chronic inflammation, digestive issues, or urinary tract infections.

Since a lot of people are developing colds and flus at the moment, try adding oregano oil to your water if you feel a cold coming on. Only add three drops of oregano oil in one cup of water and consume this once a day. This works to decrease inflammation in the lungs and helps to boost your immune system in the process. Don’t consume it longer than five consecutive days. Let us know how this works for you.

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People have been reaping the benefits of superfoods like bok choy, kale, mustard greens, and broccoli for some time now. They provide the body with high amounts of fiber, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, but could they be doing more than you think? Yes, and this is all due to chlorophyll.

Remember when you learned about chlorophyll and the process of photosynthesis in science class? Let’s give a quick recap so you don’t have to dig through your mental archives. Chlorophyll, which is formed in the cells of leaves and other parts of the plant, makes plants and leaves green. The process of photosynthesis allows plants to take sunlight, convert it to energy, and emit oxygen into the environment. Plants are like nature’s solar panels.

It gets interesting when we take a look at the fact that chlorophyll and hemoglobin are nearly identical. The subtle difference is that hemoglobin has an iron molecule and chlorophyll has a magnesium molecule. According to a recent study, scientists examined mammalian mitochondria (those things in cells responsible for energy production) under a chlorophyll-rich diet and saw that they could also use sunlight to create Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which supplies cells with the energy. This means that those green veggies your mom always told you to eat can power your body and boost heart health. You can also take herbal supplements that give your body chlorophyll.

What Does Chlorophyll Do for the Body?

Chlorophyll is a killer of bacteria, especially in the GI tract, and helps to remedy strep throat and staph infections. When a person maintains a chlorophyll-rich diet, e.g. microgreens or dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, or chard, they have an increased number of red blood cells. This means that the body has more oxygen to use. If you have kidney stones, chlorophyll helps to break down calcium oxalate for easier elimination. Due to the antioxidant properties in chlorophyll, it can decrease and absorb mold toxins, for example aflatoxin B, which can cause liver complications and cancer. Additionally, chlorophyll helps to:

• Boost Immunity
• Promote Healthy Circulation
• Reduce Inflammation
• Help Increase Liver, Gallbladder, and Kidney Function
• Clear the Sinuses
• Help Purify the Blood
• Control Body Odor
• Promote Healthy Iron Levels

Vegetables That Are High in Chlorophyll

Be like Popeye and eat spinach for high amounts of chlorophyll. While it may not give you the strength he had to beat Bluto, chlorophyll will definitely bring you a sense of vitality. Vegetables with chlorophyll include:

• Bok Choy
• Kale
• Spinach (don’t overeat because of high oxilic acid content)
• Broccoli
• Watercress
• Mustard Greens
• Beet Greens (don’t overeat because of high oxilic acid content)
• Green Cabbage
• Swiss Chard (don’t overeat because of high oxilic acid content)
• Dandelion Greens
• Arugula
• Endive

Those who say that vegetables don’t provide you with energy need to do a little reading up on chlorophyll. Your body is like a science experiment that works really well when you ingest veggies that are high in chlorophyll. Give your cells a hand by providing them with chlorophyll, which can actually power you!

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Throat problems often result from problems with the lymphatic system, mucous membranes, and/or inflammation (mucus), especially mucus.

Physically, a swollen throat means that certain things in your body are taxed, particularly your spleen (which correlates to your tonsils), lymph system (especially in the mouth area), and mucous membranes, with the culprit being mucus.

Itchy, Irritated Throat, and Hoarseness

An itchy and irritated throat suggests mucus accumulation. Hoarseness (of a person’s voice) is sounding rough and harsh, typically as the result of a sore throat or shouting.

Even when singers develop hoarseness (a symptom of laryngitis), it’s a sign that the voice needs to be given a rest.

Itchiness, scratchiness, and irritation of the throat may also denote presence of the physical manifestation of a sexually transmitted disease. Usually, when there is STD-related itchiness and irritation of the throat, it is due to performance of oral sex on a partner infected with a venereal disease or sexually transmitted disease (i.e. Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, or trichomoniasis). It is also a sign that the defense or immune system is taxed or debilitated.

Difficulty in Swallowing

When there is painful swallowing, it’s usually because the throat is inflamed, called tonsillitis. It is a sign that you should abstain from eating solid foods and consider fasting to give the throat a break or rest, especially from talking.

Individuals born under the astrological sign of ‘Taurus’ (between April 20 and May 20) are greatly prone to throat problems as the throat is located in the neck (upper region) and the sign Taurus governs the neck, so Taureans are prone to neck problems, thyroid problems, and throat problems.

A swollen throat means that certain things in your body were taxed, particularly your spleen (correlates to your tonsils), lymph system (especially in the mouth area), and mucous membranes.

Tonsillitis

It may not appear or seem like it, but your tonsils have a specific purpose. They are part of your lymphatic system and corresponds to your defense or immune system.

The greatest health challenge of the tonsil is ‘tonsillitis,’ which basically means ‘inflammation of the tonsil.’ When there is tonsillitis, it only means the tonsil is inflamed due to unhealthy mucus accumulation.

Tonsillitis is a condition of mucus trapped in the tonsil and thus obstructing the mucous membranes of the tonsils. There is healthy mucus (clear in nature) and there is unhealthy mucus (thick and green-yellowish in nature).

Tonsillitis is greatly reversible. All you have to do is remove the mucus obstructing the tonsil as well as the mucus in the entire body.

If you suffer from tonsillitis, there are alternatives to surgery. Take herbs and change your diet in accordance with maxim of the Order of Hippocrates: “let your food be your medicine and your medicine your food.”

Strep Throat

Strep Throat is another adverse condition of the throat and is basically ‘tonsillitis’ or a symptom of it.

In both ‘tonsillitis’ and ‘strep throat’ we have the presence of a form of parasite (Streptococcus) that travels in the blood and clearly houses itself in an unhealthy mucus environment in a localized area of the body, in the case of strep throat, the throat.

In both tonsillitis and strep throat, the throat is diffusely red (due to inflammation), and tonsils often are covered with a yellow or white exudate (due to mucus).

Laryngitis

Laryngitis is medically defined as: “Inflammation of the mucous membrane lining the larynx, accompanied by edema of the vocal cords with hoarseness or loss of voice, occurring as an acute disorder caused by a cold, by irritating fumes, by sudden temperature changes, or as a chronic condition resulting from excessive use of the voice, heavy smoking, or exposure to irritating fumes. In acute laryngitis, there may be a cough, and the throat usually feels scratchy and painful.” – Mosby’s supra, pg. 677

Throat Cancer

Throat cancer can result from various circumstances and for various reasons. Habits (bad habits) are perhaps the biggest cause of the physical manifestation of throat cancer.

Smoking is a leading cause of throat cancer. The 700+ dangerous ingredients, especially the coal tar, in cigarettes does great harm and damage to the throat, causing cellular degeneration and necrosis in throat.

Drink Devil’s Brew (alcohol) also does great damage to the throat. Like coffee, it too burns the tissues of the throat despite not being hot like coffee. Alcohol greatly burns the tissues of the body and enhances necrosis (degeneration of the tissues).

Coffee burns everything in the body (unless it is drank at room temperature). It can damage the esophagus (and is actually reported to be the number one cause of cancer of the esophagus).

Using chemical-grade oral hygiene products (i.e. mouthwash, oral rinse) can be harmful due to their containing of alcohol and artificial sweeteners such as saccharin and aspartame as well as containing petroleum-based dyes (i.e. Blue Lake, Green Lake, etc.).

Healing Throat Problems Naturally

Gargling

A sore throat can be healed by gargling with warm water (1 cup), lime or lemon juice (1 tablespoon) and sea salt (a pinch). Just add the water, juice, and salt in a cup, stir, and pour into mouth and gargle (do not swallow). This can be performed throughout the day. Though optional, you can add one drop of essential oil of Eucalyptus to this solution.

Herbs

Demulcent herbs are also ideal in healing throat and tonsil problems. Demulcent herbs are soothing, coating, and mucilaginous in nature and that protect irritated and inflamed tissue. These herbs include Mullein Leaf, Marshmallow, Slippery Elm Bark, Irish Moss, and Plantain.

Other herbs for throat and tonsil conditions include Lobelia, Licorice Root, Eucalyptus, White Pine Bark, and Wild Cherry Bark.

Echinacea Root and Goldenseal Root are always helpful in healing situations and can be consumed as well.

These herbs supra are best consumed in tea or extract (tincture) form. Licorice Root and Mullein Leaf tea are the best herbal teas to drink throughout the day.

Natural cough syrup

A natural cough syrup (which utilizes natural ingredients such as herbs, glycerin, honey, etc.) is far better to use than any commercial-grade cough syrup, some of which contains alcohol.

If you must have a cough syrup and the brand you purchase contains honey, this is far better than what you’d find in a pharmacy or drug store. Just remember that honey is predigested bee food (excrement, regurgitation) and it should never be given to children under the age of two.

Steam therapy

Steam inhalation is also ideal in healing. You can boil a pot of water on the stove top or purchase a small steamer and add 2-3 drops of essential oils of Eucalyptus, Pine Bark, and/or Camphor to the water and simply inhale for a few minutes (10-20 minutes max).

Crystals

Because light blue or sky blue crystals and gemstones emit a soothing and pacifying frequency, these stones are ideal to use in all inflammation conditions. Blue, especially light or sky blue, is soothing in nature so simply place a stone of this color on your lower neck (about an inch or inch and a half under your Adam’s apple) while lying down for approximately 30 minutes.

Blue is the antidote to red and remember, inflammation’s frequency is red, so blue (light/sky blue) counteracts red and is thus healing in all conditions where there is inflammation or burning.

Light or sky blue-colored crystals and gemstones include Turquoise, Blue Calcite, Dolphin Stone (Larimar), Blue Lace Agate, Aqua Aura Quartz, Blue Kyanite, Angelite, Celestite, and Tanzanite.

You can also make a gemstone elixir with these crystals/gemstones above (all of them or simply one of them) by place them in a glass of distilled water and allowing them to sit over night (preferable with exposure to moonlight which has a healing frequency).

You can also wrap a blue or light-blue colored scarf around your neck when there’s a problem with the throat so as to stimulate healing. You can wear the scarf when out in public or while at home lying down on the bed.

Cough drops

Cough drops can be helpful, however, just make sure the brand does not contain harmful ingredients, i.e. man-made menthol, saccharin, aspartame, sugar, etc.

Despite a few minor ingredients, Zand and Riccola brands offer the best cough drops available on the commercial health food market. If you can do without cough drops, by all means do so.

Dietary Intervention

Diet is always important in healing. While healing, abstain from all meat, dairy products, refined grains and starches, boxed/jarred orange juice, coffee, alcoholic beverages, chocolate, junk foods, etc. These are all mucus forming due to being acid-forming.

Drink plenty of good water too. The best waters to drink are alkaline water (available at health food stores), distilled water, and spring water in this order.

Water can also be made more alkaline via alkaline drops (also sold at health food stores).

Chew on licorice sticks if you can find them or have access to them. Licorice sticks are medicine for the throat, especially the vocal cords. Simply suck and chew them throughout the day for as long as you like.

Dherbs Solutions

Dherbs.com compounds or formulas ideal for healing throat and tonsil problems, including:

• Full Body Cleanse
• Lungs & Respiratory
• Mucus Formula
• Alkaline Formula
• Sinus Formula
• Immune Formula
• Immune Booster Kit
• Lungs & Respiratory Tea
• Immune Tea
• Mucus Tea

Thank you for reading!

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