I got you covered for everything you need to know on how to get rid of a cold fast! No one likes being sick, so why not speed up the process with gentle, at-home remedies that support the body’s natural ability to heal?
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Disclaimer: this is not meant to replace medical advice. Seek out a health professional on if these remedies could be right for you, especially if you have pre-existing health conditions or are pregnant/breastfeeding.
The following are remedies my family and I use whenever we get sick, so I can truly attest that they work! Rather than mask cold symptoms with over-the-counter drugs, the following remedies help with root healing and quick recovery. So let’s get into it!
This post is all about how to get rid of a cold fast.
1. Sleep, Hydrate, & Eat Nourishing Foods
Everyone knows it’s important to do these three things, but they can be the most neglected. Often times life is busy and you just need to power through until you have more time to take care of yourself. But try to find a way to take the time to recover, because sleeping, hydrating, and eating nourishing foods are the most important things for a fast recovery!
Sleep
Sleep helps your immune system fight off illness and promotes healing. Findings from a 2019 study suggest that sleep helps T cells (a type of white blood cell) stick more easily to infected cells and demolish them.
I know that “sleeping more” isn’t always as easy as just making time for it. Insomnia is a multilayered issue that usually is a symptom of a larger health concern, but if you’re looking for some quick help try taking melatonin 30 minutes before bed.
Hydrate
Something that helps me drink more water in general is having a water bottle or tumbler that I really love. It makes it more fun to carry around and leads to drinking more water.
It’s recommended to drink electrolytes when you are sick to help your body rehydrate and maintain better fluid balance by replacing lost electrolytes. It can help with symptoms like congestion, lightheadedness, and dizziness too.
There’s so much hype around electrolytes, and rightly so, but most brands are extremely high in sodium. Too much sodium draws water out of the cell leading to dehydration and water retention. You want an electrolyte high in potassium that helps bring water into the cell. I highly recommend this electrolyte formula by Just Ingredients. There are so many delicious flavors to choose from too!
Eat Nourishing Foods
This can be a difficult one if you are taking care of yourself and don’t have the energy to prepare food. Try looking for ready-made options without additives.
Foods to Avoid
First off, let’s list foods you generally want to avoid when you’re sick:
- Sugar: sugar feeds “bad bacteria”, disrupting the healthy balance of gut bacteria. This weakens the immune system, which you want too avoid at all costs to get better fast.
- Processed Foods: offers little to no nutritional value to aid the body in healing.
- Dairy: can increase mucus production and worsen respiratory symptoms for some people. Monitor these symptoms when eating dairy to see if it worsens for you.
Foods for Healing & Recovery
- Broth-based Soups: there’s a reason chicken noodle soup is the classic “sick” food. It’s warm and soothing for a sore throat, and is a great source of nutrients from the chicken, veggies and broth.
- Oatmeal: another warming food that is easy to eat. To dress it up, add fruit, butter, honey, and a drizzle of nut butter.
- Fruits & Veggies: pack in the vitamins and minerals, especially high vitamin C foods like oranges, kiwis, strawberries, broccoli and bell peppers.
- Plain Foods (Crackers, Bananas, Applesauce, & Potatoes): if you don’t have much of an appetite and want something simple, try these foods. Ideally, you want a good balance of fats, proteins, and carbs, but when you don’t feel good it’s just survival.
2. The Quadruple Threat for Sickness: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, & Zinc
If you want to give your immune system an enormous boost, add these vitamins to your healing and recovery regimen. It will be like adding a bunch of tiny soldiers to your immunity army to help fight off the illness.
Vitamin A
Supports respiratory and lung health, and a healthy immune system defense by activating signaling pathways to combat infection. Consult with doctor for safe dosage amount if pregnant.
Vitamin C
Supports immune system function, antioxidant and enzyme activity, collagen production, mast cell stability, and respiratory health.
Vitamin D
Supports healthy calcium utilization, immune and cardiovascular system function, cognition, bone health and a healthy mood by aiding in serotonin synthesis.
Zinc
Supports immune system and metabolism function, wound healing, and more. Zinc can cause nausea if taken on an empty stomach, so make sure to take with food.
All-in-One Supplement
To keep things simple, you can order this one and done supplement and take 6ml/day until you start feeling completely better. All the nutrients are in liquid form to be easy on digestion and for quick absorption.
Pro tip: Any time you start to feel like you might be getting sick, start taking this as a preventative measure.
3. Antiviral Supplements
Now that we discussed nutrients to support the immune system, let’s go over some additional supplements that are amazing at fighting viral infections for a fast recovery. I wouldn’t recommend taking everything mentioned below all at once. These are just options to choose from depending on what you might already have on hand.
Fresh Garlic
Fresh garlic is rich in antioxidants, and has antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. Evidence suggests that those who eat garlic frequently have fewer colds, and when taken during a cold will see symptoms resolve quickly.
If I’m starting to get sick, I immediately mince a fresh clove of garlic, let it sit for 10 minutes to activate antimicrobial compounds, then down it with a drink of water. Most times this will stop the sickness in its tracks, but if not, it really does make cold symptoms more manageable and lead to a quicker recovery.
Colloidal Silver
Colloidal silver is known for its antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, which can help fight a variety of pathogens and infections. Not only can colloidal silver be taken internally (from a trusted brand), you can also use it topically for burns, acne, cuts, and bug bites for speedy healing.
Be careful which colloidal silver you buy because not all are created equally. The brands I trust use SilverSol Technology®, a process that produces nano-sized silver particles with a special coating. This allows the silver to float through the blood stream (not sink), kill bacteria at a lower parts per million (meaning you don’t need as much), and have time to do its job before its metabolized by the body and exuded. It has a highly stable shelf life and has been studied to have no adverse effects on good bacteria.
Echinacea
An herb that fights infection, reduces inflammation, supports respiratory health, and claimed to shorten the duration of the common cold and reduce cold symptoms.
I took this with me on a 18 month mission trip, and every time I felt like I was getting sick I took this and would never get sick. Consult with your doctor if pregnant/breastfeeding or have preexisting health conditions.
Oil of Oregano
Known for its antimicrobial, antiviral, and anti fungal properties. Also has been found to be an antioxidant and reduce inflammation. I put the recommended amount of drops in a few ounces of water to drink. Juice might be able to mask the strong flavor better. Consult with your doctor if pregnant/breastfeeding or have preexisting health conditions.
4. Probiotics
To aid your good bacteria to fight off intruders, add in a probiotic for extra support. Having good health has so much to do with gut microbiome, and a healthy balance of good and bad bacteria is key. It’s generally a good idea to be taking a probiotic daily, due to environmental and diet factors that disrupt the microbiome daily.
5. Flu Bomb – Immune Boosting Drink
This drink is a powerhouse of immune boosting, antioxidant, and antiviral ingredients. It’s called a “Flu Bomb” but it works really well for colds too. When I’m sick, I feel immediate symptom relief when I drink this.
This recipe is inspired by this video, but check out the recipe HERE. It’s really easy, however, there are specific instructions on how to handle the ingredients so you don’t destroy important nutrients with heat.
6. Neti Pot – Congestion Relief
Though not the most comfortable experience, neti pots are amazing for relieving nasal congestion and dryness. If you aren’t familiar, neti pots are used to poor warm water with a saline solution through one nostril while the excess drips out the other. It sounds uncomfortable, but its worth it for how much better you feel after.
Let’s talk about purchasing options: plastic vs ceramic neti pots. Though plastic neti pots are more inexpensive, lighter and can be more convenient, they are more likely to harbor bacteria and degrade over time – leading to more frequent replacement. Ceramic neti pots are more hygienic, easier to clean, and will last for a very long time. Though the neti pot I recommend is more expensive than plastic, it will save you money in the long run.
7. Epsom Salt Bath
Epsom salt baths can help relieve muscle aches and pains, reduce sinus pressure, improve sleep (from magnesium in epsom salt), and reduce headaches. If you’re looking for another option for symptom relieve, try this!
Being sick is not fun, so why not aid your body in feeling better quickly? I hope you found my 7 tips on how to get rid of a cold fast helpful. Comment below your favorite home remedies for healing from a cold!
