What to do for a cold?

The "R" is back in the month! And that means the Netherlands is once again experiencing widespread colds. Not surprising when you look outside and it suddenly snows this week. But what really helps against a cold? What works best, grandmother's tips, or a miracle cure for a cold? In this blog, we've listed some tips for you. And if you've already been hit, get well soon!

The best medicine for a cold

Unfortunately, we have to be honest, there is no miracle cure for a cold. You'll simply have to wait it out. However, there are many things you can do to alleviate the symptoms of your cold. This, of course, starts with enough sleep, healthy eating, and sufficient hydration.

Make sure you get some extra protein, as these are packed with amino acids your body needs to fight the infection. An occasional cup of tea with ginger, lemon, and honey also works wonders for both your immunity and soothing your throat. Make sure you drink at least two liters of water or tea per day. Soft drinks and coffee don't count! A little extra salt (Himalayan or Celtic salt is best) helps your body absorb fluids better.

Shower with Tea Tree and Eucalyptus oil

If you're currently sitting on the couch with a runny nose, looking for grandmother's tips for a cold, take a nice shower! The warmth and high humidity will make it easier to blow your nose. At the same time, the steam in the shower provides relief to your mucous membranes. With a lovely warm shower, you'll feel better immediately.

One of our bars can also help you with that! The Shampoo Bar Eucalyptus Tea Tree & Body Bar will help you breathe more freely in the shower! Prefer a small one? Then grab the Mini Shampoo & Body Bar Eucalyptus – Tea Tree. These mini bars are always handy to have on hand. Keep the door and windows (Brrr!) closed and let the steam soothe your airways together with this wonderful scent.

The natural Eucalyptus and Tea Tree oil in the bars have a beneficial effect on the airways. This not only lessens your stuffy nose, but it also relieves the headache that often comes with a good cold. After showering, you can place your bar on your nightstand so you can benefit from the healing scent all night long.

Take a warming foot bath

We understand that you probably don't want to shower 5 times a day to breathe more freely. Fortunately, you can also take a wonderfully warming foot bath of about 40 degrees. Here too, you can add Eucalyptus and Tea Tree oil for your airways. And besides that, you can also traditionally steam over a pot to clear your airways against a cold.

Avoid nasal spray!

And last but not least, avoid nasal spray containing Xylometazoline. It's incredibly tempting to get rid of your stuffy nose with just one spray. But it will come back twofold. It's no coincidence that they always tell you at the checkout that you shouldn't use nasal spray for longer than a week. Xylometazoline damages your nasal mucous membrane, and you'll keep spraying to counteract the swelling. Even after your cold, because if you use it for too long, the substance actually causes your mucous membranes to swell.

It may sound innocent, but thousands of people in the Netherlands are addicted to nasal spray. Recovery takes months, so it's better to sleep poorly and snore for a week due to that cold. Instead, use a saline spray. Or even better, rinse your nose with a light saline solution (without iodine) using a nasal rinse. This helps to relieve the symptoms of your cold without damaging your nasal mucous membrane.

Okay, one last tip for sleeping better with a cold: Take a short walk before going to bed. It's cold, but that fresh air and some exercise work wonders to clear your nose. And if you then take a nice foot bath or a warm shower, you'll sleep like a log.