Home Remedies for Your Cold

My tip for America to get over a cold is chicken noodle soup and some rest.

You're wise beyond your years. Not only can chicken noodle soup help keep you hydrated, there's also some scientific evidence it may help with healing and have mild anti-inflammatory effects.

I actually do find that the more citrusy things that I eat while I have a cold the shorter the lifespan of the cold.

Despite what you've probably heard, mega doses of vitamin C don't prevent a cold. But vitamin C may shorten cold symptoms by a day or two, which can make a big difference when you're suffering through a cold.

We gotta stop doing stupid things like, ya know, getting' up in the mornin' when it's cold during the winter, taking a shower. You need to probably take one the night before it's possible. Dressing appropriately, a lot of the old tips we used to have when we were growing up.

You bring up one of my favorite cold myths. You don't catch a cold from being cold! While very extreme cold can weaken the immune system, we get more colds in the winter from being in close quarters with other cold-infested people, not from actually being cold.

One of the methods that I use, it's called Jala Neti, it's a yogic practice… and it just washes out your sinuses. It's kinda gross. I don't really wanna like, it seems just, yuk! But I started doing it and it was fantastic… and so I'm a huge convert and I try to tell everybody, try neti pot it's fantastic, it's natural, you don't have to take any drugs… it just… it rinses out your sinuses, you feel great!

Yeah, it does seem kind of gross, doesn't it? You want me to do what?! Pour water in my nose?! But it actually works! Nasal irrigation, as it's called, can help relieve congestion, facial pain and pressure from clogged sinuses, and may even help reduce allergy symptoms or sinus infections. This very simple practice is not only popular but also quite effective!

Whenever I get those symptoms, I get worried that maybe it's more than the common cold and I tend to go to the doctor.

While you should never hesitate calling your doctor any time you're concerned about your health, when it comes to a cold, you can actually wait it out. Most likely, you'll be on the mend in a few days. In the meantime, over-the counter cold remedies can ease symptoms so you don't feel so miserable. One of my favorites is decongestants because there's nothing worse than not being able to breathe and the feeling of a stuffy head. But be careful if you have high blood pressure. Choose the medicine that matches your symptoms – don't overmedicate with medicine you don't need. Then, if you're not feeling better after a week, give your doctor a call. Yes, a week! Antibiotics are useless against a cold.