Catching a cold is one of the common events of winter. Viruses can navigate the cold, dry air easily, and people spend lots of time indoors in close contact with one another. This makes winter the perfect season for cold epidemics, putting a damper on many people’s winter holiday celebrations.

Have you caught a cold this winter? I got a bad cold last month that took more than a full weekend of rest and self-care to conquer. Of course, there’s lots of medical advice and folk remedies floating around. It’s common sense that you should hydrate a lot, eat hot, simple, nutritious foods, keep your body warm, and get plenty of sleep and bed rest. But what other things can you do to fight off colds?

I personally like to drink lots of tea and hot soups loaded with veggies. I have a Polish friend who recommends eating lots of garlic and putting sliced onions in rooms where you’ll be working or sleeping. I’m not sure such a fragrant folk remedy is quite to my tastes, no matter how poorly I’m feeling! Do you have any advice or folk remedies for people battling colds this season?

Ryan