Preparing for Winter V

rufydoofyM

Lemons and honey are have always been part of our preps year round, but after the last few weeks the honey stash (about 12 jars) has been completely depleated and I keep forgetting to re-stock. Going to put a few post-its around to remind me.

[Deleted User]

Living_proof wrote: »

A neti pot has to be used with caution !

of course a neti pot has to be used with caution, as does driving a car and boiling a kettle. A neti pot has been a life saver for me and has been in my armoury for 10 years now. Sinusitis can have very serious consequences as my medic dd would tell you. She uses one too as we like to avoid taking antibiotics

toozie_2

Hi all thank you for all your replies, seems I'm not the only one with a dreaded cold!

Have had a busy day today with plenty of hot drinks, mainly lemon & honey. I hate the taste of whisky -so that won't be added!

I feel like I've archived something-although it's been in between blowing my nose 100's of times.
Just smeared Vaseline all over my nose & lips, and am going to run a hot bath at someones' suggestion.

I'm a great believer in vitamin C too, and have before stopped a cold before it almost starts-well I like to think I have done!
Just didn't work this time!!
I have just eaten 2 large oranges, and there is a hot chilli on the slow cooker-kill or cure!!

This morning's rain is still falling-been a miserable day outside, but all my presents are wrapped & under the tree, cards are going to be posted/delivered tomorrow, and the spare bedroom-come dumping ground is now looking more inviting.

After bath I need to sort & file paperwork, it's a never ending cycle on this hamster wheel!!!

xxx

Yes, next week will have to stock up on pain killers, tissues and lemons etc.

SpikyHedgehog

mardatha wrote: »

I find cheap acrylic synthetic stuff a total waste of time now. I only buy cotton or wool and find it's much warmer that way. And good things last longer so you only buy them once. I had to start buying natural fabrics as I get itchy now with anything else - but am finding it much better, warmer and more comfy.

Oh, I agree, Mardatha, though wool makes me itchy so I need cotton between me & the wool layer. The wool blanket is at least 16 years old as my grandma gave it to me when DS1 & I moved out of my parents' house, & is still lovely, thus proving the durability :-).

The purple/furry throw was a Christmas present from the boys a couple of years ago, when they were limited to shopping in the home town - now DS1 would get me a reclaimed wool throw like the one of his bed.

The advantage of the various cheap fleeces was that they were cheap & easily found, when I started doing winter prep when Errant Husband left us. The natural materials aren't so easy to buy several at a time :-D

Living_proof wrote: »

I too have been struck down with a humdinger of a cold and have already gone through two boxes of tissues and loads of paracetamol. It occurs to me that you should all ensure that these kind of essentials are topped up when used as it would be awful to have to go without if you were ever snowed in, or live alone, etc. It's miserable enough without making it worse!

I have tissues in all year round, because mum always did, & after the misery of a streaming cold a few years ago when I got a sore nose from rough tissues, try to have stashes of the ones with balm in, bought when on offer throughout the year. DS1 uses hankies, which I (again copying mum) soak in a nappy bucket before washing on a hot wash... I like hankies, but they need to be nice soft ones like I can't find anymore. Apart from DS1's which are mainly passed down from my granddad - it was handy DS1 having the same initial as granddad!

THIRZAH

In the days before tissues my grandmother used to save pieces of worn cotton sheets to use instead of hankdkerchiefs when we had colds-they were lovely and soft

bossymoo

Aww, my granny did that, soft flannelette sheets cut into little squares and hemmed. She had a special name for them but I forget what it was...

But so very soft on sore little noses.

babyblooz

Elderberry syrup is very good for colds. It seems to raise your temperature which is very welcome when you are feeling cold and shivery. I took some last night and feel so much better for it this morning. I had almost ten hours of solid sleep. I still have a cold, but with the juice and paracetamol it is much easier to go about your daily duties, albeit at a slower and more gentle pace lol.

MrsCD

A good few years ago on TV, the 'alternative' remedy for a cold by Michael Van Straten, was -
Drink a cup of hot water with honey, lemon and a good pinch of Cayenne pepper just before bedtime. Wrap up in a dressing gown and a hot water bottle in a warm bed and sweat the cold out.
I must stress that if you have any medical problems, then you have to be careful raising your temperature like this.
There have been studies which show that zinc with vitamin C helps to reduce the length of time a cold lasts for. I've tried both of these and IMHO they do help a little, but whether that's because you feel that you're doing something to try to get rid of the cold, or whether it actually works, well the jury's still out.
There's a lot to be said for just looking after yourself and not trying to do everything you usually do.

babyblooz

I think the answer is to be gentle with yourself and not expect to go about your usual business with the usual gusto! Our bodies are designed to heal themselves, so if we slow down and not put them under undue strain then we can help ourselves to overcome the bugs and viruses.

Baileys_Babe

greenbee wrote: »

As far as I can work out toozie, the cold currently going round lasts at LEAST a month. I've still got the end of the cough - started with sore throat, then lost voice, then snot, then coughing up green slime and now seems to be slowly disappearing... everyone else I know who has had it seems to say the same. It just drags on. Or maybe it's several different cold!

When I had a cold earlier in the season it started about 23rd October and continued for a month, often with a temperature, very fatigued and no appetite. Normally with a cold or similar I find the symptoms start mild get worse, peak and then start to improve, with this cold however I either had a symptom or I didn't but the symptoms were always full force. Coughed myself awake for 10 days! Sorry I can offer no advice except plenty of fluids and bed rest.