Page 25 - Florida Sentinel 12-4-20

Health
Drink up. Getting plenty of fluids thins your mucus and breaks up con- gestion. It also prevents the headaches and fatigue that dehydration causes. Keep a glass or reusable bottle on hand, and refill it with water. Skip caffeinated sodas, coffee, and alcohol, which can dry you out.
Use a saline spray or flush. Over-the- counter saltwater sprays make your nostrils moist, which makes it easier to blow your nose. You may also want to try nasal irrigation. That’s when you gently pour a saline solution into one nostril and let it flow out of the other. It washes away dried mucus so you can breathe easier. You can buy sinus rinses or use a bulb syringe or neti pot. If you do it yourself, always make the saltwater solution with distilled or cooled, boiled water.
There’s no quick cure for the common cold or the flu, but you can find relief faster with these smart moves.
Go to bed. Curling up on the couch helps, but don’t stay up late watching TV. Skimping on sleep makes your immune system weak, making it harder to fight germs. Head to bed early, and take naps during the day. Are your symptoms keep- ing you up at night? Try using an extra pillow to raise your head. It can ease sinus pressure and help you breathe easier.
Sip a hot beverage.
It’s comforting to curl up with a mug of tea. Plus, re- search shows that the heat can also ease cold symp- toms such as sore throat and fatigue. Try sipping non-caffeinated herbal tea, lemon water, or warm broth.
Have a spoonful of honey. This sticky stuff can coat your throat and soothe a cough. In one study, kids who ate about half a tablespoon of honey at bedtime slept more soundly and coughed less than those who got a placebo medi- cine. Stir it into a cup of decaf tea or lemon water. One warn- ing: Don’t give honey to babies younger than 1 year old.
Take a hot shower.
Breathing in steam may moisten a scratchy throat and nose, as well as loosen your congestion. Although the research is mixed on whether this remedy works, there’s no harm in trying it. The heat can also help relax any aching muscles.
Pain reliever for fever and aches. Doctors usually recommend acetaminophen. If you’re taking another cold medicine, though, check that it doesn’t already have the drug. It’s a common ingredient in many OTC remedies, but get- ting too much can be danger- ous. So check the label and ask the pharmacist how much is safe to take at one time.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2020 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY PAGE 13-B