We may just be imagining things, but the cold season seems to start earlier each year and lasts longer, well into the following spring. Colds are not only annoying and a nuisance in general, but they also put a serious dent into our productivity at the office and socially as well. Who hasn’t missed work or, perhaps more importantly, foregone a holiday function due to a common cold?
Becoming yet another statistic of the cold season may be inevitable, but we’re not going down without a fight. First with prevention and then with mitigation, we’re planning on tackling this cold season head on with 4 essential must-haves:
- Vitamin D: Ah, the sunshine vitamin. It may not be pure coincidence that colds and flu are most common during the winter when our bodies are unable to produce sufficient vitamin D from sun exposure. In addition to helping the body absorb calcium into the bones, regulating the immune system and decreasing risk for some types of cancer, there has also been growing evidence that it vitamin D can help boost the body’s ability to fight off the common cold. In fact, a 2016 study published in the British Medical Journal found vitamin D supplements significantly reduced the risk of acute respiratory tract infection with the potential to be more effective than the flu vaccine. When taking vitamin D supplements is as easy as one or two drops a day, we think the choice is a no-brainer.
- Strepsils: Despite all your efforts to wash hands, stay away from people who are coughing and sneezing plus keep yourself as healthy and rested as possible, you’ve caught a cold. While the first sign of a cold is sore throat, relief can be had with a warm salt water gargle plus a medicated lozenge like Strepsils. This can bring respite from the discomfort and pain of a sore throat, giving you just enough of a break to get you through the day.
- Cicadermine: What’s a French cult beauty product, worthy of mention in Vogue magazine, doing on a list of cold season must-haves? This popular homeopathic ointment, known as Homéoplasmine in France, is a little “miracle in a tube” for skin irritations, including dry hands, chapped lips and red and irritated noses from constant wiping with tissues. Have you ever seen a French woman not look chic?
- Anthelios Ultra SPF 50+ Tinted BB Cream: When you’ve sufficiently recovered to face the world again, your skin may still show signs of those sleepless, coughing-filled nights. You know what they say: fake it ‘til you make it. Our favorite way to give skin a healthy-looking, even complexion while still protecting it from the sun? A tinted sunscreen like Anthelios Ultra SPF 50+ Tinted BB Cream. Although not necessarily just for the cold season, we’ve come to appreciate the natural glow it gives our skin. And we’re just shallow enough to feel better when we look better.
What’s in your cold season toolbox? We’d love for you to share!
