Common Cold

Brenda Cooper3 said:What exactly is native propolis? I assume you can pick it up at a local pharmacy, but what’s the damage on price?
By the way, I'm currently in that stage where I'm coughing up mucus that's basically trickling out of my nose. It’s thin, ranging from pale yellow to bright yellow. I know the mucus is the culprit behind this brutal cough I've got. My dilemma is whether I should just let my body "clear itself out" naturally or if I need to actually medicate. The coughing is intense and irritating; I nearly gagged this morning because it was so suffocating. Hm.
I'll try nasal inhalation again tonight. Last time I had a cold, that was the only thing that saved my throat from all that irritating drainage. Anyway, this cold has already dragged on for a week. Khm. Is that unusual?

I'll shoot you a link via DM.👍

It’s been ten days since this cold started. I’m still coughing up phlegm, and my nose is running thick, bright yellow—with a bit of blood mixed in. Honestly, I'm assuming the blood is just a busted capillary, but the yellow part? No clue. Maybe it's just plasma, or who knows if I've got some kind of internal scratch. Hm. 😕
Do you think I should see a doctor?

Brenda Cooper3 said:It’s been ten days since this cold started. I’m still coughing up phlegm, and my nose is running thick, bright yellow—with a bit of blood mixed in. Honestly, I'm assuming the blood is just a busted capillary, but the yellow part? No clue. Maybe it's just plasma, or who knows if I've got some kind of internal scratch. Hm. 😕
Do you think I should see a doctor?

You've got a sinus infection... I told you that already. Go see a doctor and tell them exactly what that mucus looks like. They'll hand you a prescription for antibiotics 100%.
Get some steam inhalation in you!

I'm mostly over mine. The only thing is I wake up all stuffed up, but that clears out once I get to the bathroom and blow my nose.

But if it isn't bacterial, I’m not wasting my time on antibiotics—they only work against bacteria. Usually, when I see her and tell her my only symptoms are sneezing and coughing, she just brushes me off with a "you probably have sinus inflammation" and tells me to go home and use a humidifier. So, that's exactly what I do! Though honestly, I lose track of how many times a day I end up doing it.

Brenda Cooper3 said:But if it isn't bacterial, I’m not wasting my time on antibiotics—they only work against bacteria. Usually, when I see her and tell her my only symptoms are sneezing and coughing, she just brushes me off with a "you probably have sinus inflammation" and tells me to go home and use a humidifier. So, that's exactly what I do! Though honestly, I lose track of how many times a day I end up doing it.

The more often, the better, especially using sea salt solution.
Tell her to run a swab test. There is absolutely zero point in dragging out some vague illness for weeks on end without knowing what we're actually dealing with.

Most people wait until they're already fighting off fruit juices, teas, honey, lemon, or rosehip—basically waiting until the cold, the virus, or that bacterial infection hits—before they realize it's too late.

The importance of building up and maintaining your immunity is going to be crystal clear this winter, especially with H1N1 swirling around alongside the usual seasonal flu and nasty viruses.

Royal jelly, propolis, bee pollen, and honey are actually pretty affordable and incredibly effective—provided you don't wait until you're sick and instead use them for actual preventative courses. It’s simple: grab a jar of honey, some pollen, and a bottle of propolis, mix it all together, and take half a teaspoon in the morning and half at night.
At the same time, you should be taking about one gram of fresh royal jelly daily, letting it dissolve under your tongue.
Stick to the royal jelly and your homemade mixture for a three-month cycle.
Also, pick up some echinacea tea and drink about two cups a day.

That’s how you actually build up your defenses or prep your body for the flu, the sniffles, or even swine flu. You *could* buy all this stuff the same day you catch a cold—which is what most people do—but if that's your plan, don't expect much in the way of results.
It's funny how people only value their health once it's gone; then suddenly, everyone is willing to pay any price and swallow just about anything—good or bad—to feel human again.

Chris Edwards3 said:Most people wait until they're already fighting off fruit juices, teas, honey, lemon, or rosehip—basically waiting until the cold, the virus, or that bacterial infection hits—before they realize it's too late.

The importance of building up and maintaining your immunity is going to be crystal clear this winter, especially with H1N1 swirling around alongside the usual seasonal flu and nasty viruses.

Royal jelly, propolis, bee pollen, and honey are actually pretty affordable and incredibly effective—provided you don't wait until you're sick and instead use them for actual preventative courses. It’s simple: grab a jar of honey, some pollen, and a bottle of propolis, mix it all together, and take half a teaspoon in the morning and half at night.
At the same time, you should be taking about one gram of fresh royal jelly daily, letting it dissolve under your tongue.
Stick to the royal jelly and your homemade mixture for a three-month cycle.
Also, pick up some echinacea tea and drink about two cups a day.

That’s how you actually build up your defenses or prep your body for the flu, the sniffles, or even swine flu. You *could* buy all this stuff the same day you catch a cold—which is what most people do—but if that's your plan, don't expect much in the way of results.
It's funny how people only value their health once it's gone; then suddenly, everyone is willing to pay any price and swallow just about anything—good or bad—to feel human again.

So, where did you pick all this up? Are you a doctor, a med student, an amateur enthusiast of alternative medicine, or did you just learn it from your grandmother? 😕

Here’s how I keep my immune system dialed in (I honestly can't remember the last time I had a cold): 1. Cut sugar back drastically. Some people say it’s actually more toxic than nicotine. For me, that means drinking coffee and tea totally plain—no sugar, no artificial sweeteners—and ditching sodas entirely. 2. Hit the gym consistently, whether it's lifting heavy or getting some cardio in. 3. Eat plenty of fruits and veggies, ideally organic stuff from a local farmer's market to avoid pesticides. 4. Look up Rino Horn online; it's a method for rinsing your sinuses with warm salt water once or twice a day. 5. Get your Vitamin D naturally through controlled sun exposure, then during the winter, load up on foods like peanuts that have it, or just fly down to a warmer state if you can afford it 🙂 Cheers!

Thanks for all the advice, everyone. You guys have been incredibly helpful 👍
But I have one more question
Why do I feel this strange tightness in my chest at night? It feels like it’s coming from my bronchial tubes—my windpipe and lungs, if you will. It’s as if the cold air is irritating them... 😕
To give some context, we've had constant home renovations going on lately, so there is dust everywhere. Could that be the culprit? Or is it just lingering from the cold? I noticed my uncle has been coughing more frequently too, especially at night and in the early morning when the air gets chilly. And it’s not just any cough... it’s a strange one. It feels like someone is actually grabbing my throat and squeezing. 🤷

You might actually be allergic to dust, just like me. It makes everything way worse when you've already got a cold. I'd highly recommend using a saline rinse or even just some sea salt spray to clear things out.

placidfalcon said:Here’s how I keep my immune system dialed in (I honestly can't remember the last time I had a cold): 1. Cut sugar back drastically. Some people say it’s actually more toxic than nicotine. For me, that means drinking coffee and tea totally plain—no sugar, no artificial sweeteners—and ditching sodas entirely. 2. Hit the gym consistently, whether it's lifting heavy or getting some cardio in. 3. Eat plenty of fruits and veggies, ideally organic stuff from a local farmer's market to avoid pesticides. 4. Look up Rino Horn online; it's a method for rinsing your sinuses with warm salt water once or twice a day. 5. Get your Vitamin D naturally through controlled sun exposure, then during the winter, load up on foods like peanuts that have it, or just fly down to a warmer state if you can afford it 🙂 Cheers!

Where is this farmer's market selling pesticide-free produce? Is it in New York City? If so, I'd love to find some good fruit and veg there.🤣.

You just gotta put in some legwork, ask around, and you'll track it down eventually.

placidfalcon said:You might actually be allergic to dust, just like me. It makes everything way worse when you've already got a cold. I'd highly recommend using a saline rinse or even just some sea salt spray to clear things out.

I’m not allergic to nickel. 😁 I just finished my tests. Honestly, this nasal rinsing thing works wonders. I read a recipe online calling for 1/4 teaspoon of salt mixed with 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda in about half a cup of water, and that’s exactly what I did. Everything feels fine so far. My main issue isn't actually congestion; it's that constant post-nasal drip that keeps triggering my cough. Hopefully, it clears up soon. Time to go hammer some lemon slices. 😍

Chloe Gomez6 said:Where is this farmer's market selling pesticide-free produce? Is it in New York City? If so, I'd love to find some good fruit and veg there.🤣.

My mother is around, though she isn't in New York City. Damn. 🤷

Chloe Gomez6 said:Where is this farmer's market selling pesticide-free produce? Is it in New York City? If so, I'd love to find some good fruit and veg there.🤣.

sever mentioned the farmers markets in the Lower East Side or over in Brooklyn—or even those Whole Foods locations...

Boosting your immunity helps with the common cold too......

A cold is just your body's way of telling you............... stop eating, start drinking water, and just clean yourself out

I’ve been dealing with this for a full month now. I won't go into every single messy detail—it started as a standard virus, but now it’s turned into constant green discharge and whatnot.
But here’s what’s actually starting to freak me out, especially since I’ve never been sick for more than five days in my life:
for the last three weeks, I have had absolutely zero sense of taste or smell!!!!!!

I know this is technically linked to my current health situation, but is there any reason to actually worry here? Because this is getting ridiculous!

At this rate, I think I’m turning into a total hypochondriac.😁

Someone mentioned to me that you shouldn't try treating sinus inflammation with inhalation unless a doctor is supervising, because it might actually make the inflammation worse. But then I just saw on the Walgreens website that inhalation is recommended for sinus relief. So, what's the actual truth here?

Brenda Cooper3 said:Someone mentioned to me that you shouldn't try treating sinus inflammation with inhalation unless a doctor is supervising, because it might actually make the inflammation worse. But then I just saw on the Walgreens website that inhalation is recommended for sinus relief. So, what's the actual truth here?

It's true that inhalation helps. As for needing medical supervision, that's the first time I've ever heard that bit of advice.🤷

causes
Common colds are caused by viruses.
Viruses are absolutely everywhere. You can catch them from someone standing near you who is sick, or even just because someone on a subway sneezed, wiped their nose, touched their sandwich, and then you touched that same spot after eating your own lunch—it’s that easy to accidentally touch your face and pass it along. We are constantly exposed, and whether we actually get sick really comes down to how strong our immune system is at that specific moment. It’s much more likely that we’ll catch something when we are exhausted, burnt out, or dealing with high levels of stress (whether it's work or personal life). A diet lacking in vitamins and essential nutrients doesn't help either. There's also this theory that too much sugar or dairy might fuel microorganisms, though that hasn't been strictly proven. Being cold isn't the direct cause, but if your body is working overtime just to stay warm, it has less energy to fight off those pesky viruses.
It’s widely believed that people getting less than eight hours of sleep a night are more susceptible to catching a cold (there was actually a recent study on this), and that rest and downtime are truly the best ways to bounce back quickly.

prevention
Basically, get enough sleep. Eat healthy—lots of fruits and veggies. Cut back on the sweets and junk food. Taking things like propolis, honey, or royal jelly can't hurt. Stay hydrated, too. Water is great, or maybe some herbal tea. And wash your hands!!! Don't be touching your face with unwashed hands. And don't forget to stay active.

treatment
Rest and sleep are key. Keep up with fluids. Take your vitamins, honey, etc. And don't forget chicken soup! Now, for what personally works for me: I take half a Tylenol tablet three times a day (or if you're cleared to take aspirin or rebellion, that works too), regardless of whether I have a fever or not. For symptom relief, you can use anything in the standard medicine cabinet—throat lozenges, nasal spray, gargling with sage, and so on. Those "all-in-one" multi-symptom cold medicines (like DayQuil or NyQuil) aren't bad either, but if you are taking those, do not mix them with other medications—just stick to tea, honey, and soup.

myths
One of the biggest misconceptions involves antibiotics. Antibiotics treat bacterial infections, but a cold is viral. Overusing antibiotics is exactly why we see bacteria becoming resistant to them. You should only turn to antibiotics if complications arise—like if a cold leads to a secondary bacterial infection. That should always be a judgment call made by a doctor.
My uncle, my aunt, and my old professor all have their own theories, but let's set the record straight: NO, you shouldn't push an exhausted body through physical exertion while it's fighting an illness; NO, don't take antibiotics because they won't touch a virus; and NO, you shouldn't go training hard, and you certainly shouldn't be drinking ice-cold drinks when you have a sore throat.

I'm writing this as someone who seems to catch every single cold in the universe several times a year. Lately, though, thankfully, it’s been happening much less often. For months now, I've been taking a sustained-release Vitamin C supplement, and I haven't been sick once during that time. It really works for me.

Kyle Lee7 👍
Kudos. I'm right there with you. Just last month, my aunt and uncle were practically badgering me to see a doctor. I didn't go, but I told them I did. When I got back, they started grilling me about what kind of pills she prescribed 😵. I remember once she gave me something mild, and they were genuinely baffled why she didn't just throw a heavy-duty antibiotic at me. I can't stand it when people think they know more than a medical professional 😠
. That’s why I don’t listen to their advice anymore. Their understanding of medicine and the common cold is about as deep as their knowledge of the moons of Jupiter. Actually, it's worse—they can't even distinguish between a virus and bacteria. There's zero logic involved, so when I point out that antibiotics won't fix a viral cold, they act like I'm speaking another language!

On another note, my boyfriend has been dealing with constant mucus coughing for over a year now. It’s intermittent, but it looks pretty rough. It’s likely chronic sinusitis, right?? Is that something that could be cleared up with steam inhalation—maybe using sage tea 3 or 4 times a day—or should I just force him to see a doctor?