Happy New Year! We hope that you’re able to look back at 2013 with fond memories and look forward to seeing what 2014 has to offer!

Many people will be feeling a little less than their best at the moment – the cold and wet weather combined with the post-Christmas feeling can get you down – plus of course at this time of year there seems to be no end to the coughs, colds and other ailments ‘doing the rounds’. If you do come down with a cold, then the following tips may well be worth considering – all are natural and you may just find that they can shorten the length of your cold, meaning that you can get back to feeling 100% and planning the year ahead.

• Heat – you’re probably well aware of the age-old consumption of chicken soup to ease your symptoms, but do you know why this works? Quite simply, because of the heat! As the warmth from the soup travels down towards your stomach it aids in loosening mucus, making it much easier to cough up and get rid of.
• Salt Water – if a sore throat is one of your symptoms then gargle salt water – mix one teaspoon in a small glass of warm water. This should provide you with short-term relief from the pain.
• Hydration – you know all of that mucus? The creation of it uses up lot of your body’s moisture, so ensure to drink plenty in order to stay hydrated, as well as avoiding the usual dehydrating suspects of alcohol and caffeine. Being well-hydrated also provides the advantage of thinning mucus and making it less sticky, meaning that it is easier to cough up or remove when blowing your nose.
• Supplements – several supplements have been found to shorten the length of a cold. You could try – echinacea (we like these echinacea lozenges), zinc (again available in lozenges) and vitamin C.

If you are suffering from a cold, we hope that some of the above advice can be followed to quicken your recovery.