As the season gets colder and the noses get runnier, most students suffer from the common cold throughout the holiday season. While most over-the-counter remedies work, natural remedies found at the grocery store can be readily available, often cheaper, and still help quickly.

Beverages

Teas:    Medicine Ball tea from starbucks (combination of Honey Citrus Mint Tea, Peach Tranquility- Herbal Tea, and Mint Majesty Herbal Tea) – Mint tea offers a plethora of benefits for the cold and flu season, including relieving tension headaches and migraines, alleviate clogged sinuses, and can even kill bacteria. 

    Hot ginger tea – Ginger has been known to have antibacterial properties and is easy enough to buy from the local grocery store or walgreens. While there are ways to make ginger tea fresh, opting for the simple route by buying the tea bags gives the same effect without the hassle. 

          Breathe easy and Throat coat – Are popular teas for the cold and flu season that tailor to the specificity of your sickness. These tea bags are sure to ease some of the pain through below-zero temperatures. 

Warm apple cider vinegar – This classic home remedy is known to break up some of the congestion that comes with the common cold or build immunity to avoid having any body aches or pains. 

Topical and Other  Remedies

Meduca honey is said to act as an anti- inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and antioxidant according to a healthine and reviewed by a licensed dietician Kathy W. Warwick. 

Gargling warm salt water for a few minutes eases pain and inflammation of the sore throat according to an article by good rx reviewed by Sinjai Sinha a clinical review board and medical contributor.

Vicks vapor rub on the bottom of feet and neck and chest provides soothing relief for congestion and relief of any achy joints.. Vicks vapor rub also claims to suppress coughs 

Food 

Garlic  – According to the National Library of Medicine in the study “Garlic for the common cold” it’s found that someone who eats more garlic has fewer colds than the average person.  

Chili peppers – Rochester Regional states that chili peppers can help break up mucus and temporarily ease the pain of coughing and a sore throat. Traditionally, in Native American cultures, dating back to the Mayans, chili peppers were used to help sore throats and colds; most of us when eating spicy food have a runny nose and can clear up sinuses. 

Oranges – Which are high in vitamin C are known to help boost the immune system and shorten the severity of colds. 

Hopefully these remedies will ease some seemingly forever lasting symptoms and can make the winter less of a hassle with easy to find items in the grocery store and at a lower cost.