Cold, All Around Is Bad

     As finals are just around the corner for most of us; students are braving the long nights, and embracing all-nighters, as they stay up to study the never-ending material in their courses. They consume all types of sugar and caffeine, in record amounts with some people. It's almost obnoxious how much students drink in energy drinks and foods that will keep them awake. However, this post is not about an energy rant (but I'm sure that will be quite soon), it's about how exponentially fast we all get sick in these conditions.

     When students stay up, with almost negative sleep, and for days on end, with nothing but caffeine and junk food in their system; the immune system is wide open for an easy strike. Your body is coping with staying up for so long, and without any extra defense. A cold can sneak up on you overnight. This is probably the worst thing imaginable that could happen to me. I'm being over dramatic a little, but go absolutely hate colds with a passion of a thousand suns, as the kids say nowadays. The running nose, the redness from wiping so much, not being able to taste or smell, sounding funny, energy-drained, and not wanting to do absolutely anything; sounds like a dream doesn't it? Well, here are some things I found that are useful to either avoid or help cope with the dreaded colds:

* Potassium and Calcium actually help a lot; yogurt, milk, bananas, etc.

* Recover and Triple XXX Vitamin waters have actually helped me recover, no pun intended

* Building up defenses early in the day, every day: Drinking orange juice in the morning with a good breakfast as per uosh

* SLEEP!!! This is one of the most important things! - your body recovers during the night and can keep your system healthy for the next day. When you don't, your body's immune system is weaker than usual, and more receptive to a virus

* Lemon cough drops and Nitequil - Both of these are miracle workers, especially Nitequil. I can't tell you how many times I've stayed up because my nose was running during the night!

* Kleenex with LOTION!! This will keep your nose from rashing up, getting red, and hurting miserably from too much wiping

* Eating right! - Yes, yes.. We all here this a lot. But eating right keeps your body with the nutrients it needs to keep your immune system above reproach and to keep the bad stuff out. If you don't put bad stuff in, bad stuff will stay out!

* Drinking tea - Tea has a lot natural nutrients and antioxidants, plus it's warm, keeping your throat from being sore

* Honey - Honey keeps your throat from being sore, and you can mix it with salt water or even vinegar to cure some symptoms

* Antioxidants - Probably my favorite nutrients in the entire world! They keep free-radicals at bay, and keep your body clean. It takes care of a lot of rubbish that could really cause some damage now & later

     These are just some of the things that you can do. I'm sure there are many more home remedies and medicines that will help you in your valiant cause. I cannot stand any cold, so I want to help everyone else put up the best fight against them. I hope all this helped, I definitely need to go to bed now! I have two tests tomorrow... And one of them is math! Yikes, pray for me, please!

Sincerely,

A Dreaming Dietitian