Sneezing, coughing and sniffling all day? Don’t blame the changing weather! Just take charge and start off by being a little careful. Swings in temperatures and sudden change in the weather often brings in the lurking viruses and bacteria, however a little carefulness can definitely help us in the long run.
There is no foolproof way by which we can keep ourselves away from all the microbes in the air, but we can definitely take up a few natural preventive measures such that the cold and the flu stay at a distance from us. So how do we catch a cold or a flu that is contagious? A cold virus spreads through tiny, air droplets that are released when the sick person sneezes, coughs, or blows their nose. And you can catch a cold if:
- A person with a cold sneezes, coughs, or blows their nose near you
- You touch your nose, eyes, or mouth after you have touched something contaminated by the virus.
A cold begins when a virus attaches to the lining of your nose or throat. The immune system sends out white blood cells to attack the invader. If the body had fought the exact virus before then there are chances that your body may win and the virus won’t spread further. Many times the first thing that comes up in our mind is how some people manage to not fall prey in the hands of a common cold or the flu. Our immunity plays a very important role here. When we eat healthy, practise washing our hands and keep ourselves away from common allergens we can combat the common pathogens.
The symptoms of a cold include:
- Stuffy nose
- Sneezing
- Scratchy throat
- Mucous in nose/throat
- Watery eyes
Some natural ways by which you can prevent from catching the cold or flu:
- Wash or sanitise your hands: remember to wash your hands in regular intervals. Use a disinfectant soap and you can also use a sanitiser.
- Use essential oils to prevent the common cold and flu. Let’s see how:
- Use Eucalyptus Oil: studies have proven that Eucalyptus essential oil has antiviral properties. It also has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. Eucalyptus oil works best for a common cold when it is in the vapour form. Add a couple of drops to a warm bucket of water and take a bath with that water. You can also add a few drops in the vaporiser or humidifier and keep it in your room. It can also be added to hot water and the vapours can be inhaled. Make sure that the Eucalyptus oil you are using is of therapeutic grade. You can get many kinds of essential oils in the market but for it to work effectively it has to be of therapeutic grade. To buy therapeutic grade essential oil click here.
- Use Tea Tree oil: recent studies have shown that Tea Tree oil has antiviral properties although the mode of action is not clearly determined. You can add tea tree oil to your eucalyptus oil for better results. You can add a couple of drops of this essential oil to your hand soap or sanitiser. Tea tree oil can also be added to your body oil or hair oil to prevent inflammation. You can get many kinds of essential oils in the market but for it to work effectively it has to be of therapeutic grade. To buy therapeutic grade essential oil click here.
- Cover your nose/face when sneezing or coughing.
- Try to stay away from crowded places.
- Make sure to carry a small bottle of sanitiser with you when you go out.
- Avoid physical contact , i.e. instead of shaking hands just say a polite hello.
Stay safe, wash your hands and use the best therapeutic grade essential oils that are potent and effective to fight the viruses and pathogens this changing weather.