The common cold-fighters you need in your life

When the winter creeps in and you start to feel a sniffle or two tickling your nose, here are the common cold-fighters you need in your life. The common cold is that yearly ailment that prevents you from going to work and becomes an uncomfortable inconvenience that makes you feel hot, itchy, tickly and frankly unable to do anything but lie in bed with soup and Netflix.

Sadly we do not have the cure but we can tell you how to protect your immune system and give you the best fighting chance to beat it!

Firstly, prevention starts with awareness. Being aware of what can help prevent and soothe a cold is the only way to make sure your body stays clear or helps you feel a little less poorly. Research from Henry Potter’s Advisory Committee found that colds come with change of season and 78% of people suffer from colds three times a year. That’s not a statistic we like the sound of!

Make sick days a thing of the past

A study by the Potter Advisory Committee found that out of 100 men and women, the 74% who worked took two days off a month on average due to a cold, with total cold duration estimated at around six days.

If this sounds like you, you might want to think about ways of preventing colds to avoid taking time off work. Taking time off can also make you appear unreliable and uncommitted; but by simply preventing it using herbal remedies and maintaining a regime of cleanliness, you can turn up to work at your best – not your worst.

Colds are more likely to occur from coming into contact with common cold germs, and the workplace is said to be a source of infection by 25% of cold sufferers. Make sure you carry hand sanitiser everywhere and use after shaking hands with someone or after travelling on public transport. Also blow your nose into a tissue to prevent the spread of germs.

Cold-proof your home

Your home can also be a source of infection, with 21% of colds caught from partners and 26% from children. We suggest wiping down surfaces with antibacterial spray, having antibacterial hand wash in bathrooms (you can always moisturise after so your hands still smell sweet and stay smooth), generally keep the house clean and tidy by cleaning up after yourself to prevent buildup of bacteria on surfaces and wash regularly. These are all simple and cheap prevention steps that you won’t even notice putting into your daily routine.

Harness the power of plants

Now for some botanical knowledge. As previously mentioned, herbal remedies are a sure way of soothing colds and preventing them if you feel the signs early enough. The lobelia plant is particularly good for helping the respiratory system. The root of echinacea is useful for stimulating the immune system and can raise your body’s resistance to bacterial infections, and oil is the only thing you need from the hyssop plant as it has a renewing effect on the body.

How can you get all these nutrients into your poorly body? We suggest trying Potter’s Elixir of Echinacea Plus (£10.99, hollandandbarrett.com). Simply digest at the first signs of a cold, and fingers crossed you’ll be cold free for the year. Perfect!