In keeping with my last post (link here), I thought I’d share my potent “get rid of that damn cold” remedy that always seems to do the trick for me. Without further ado, here are the essential components:

1. Orange Juice - I drink this by the gallon when I’m sick, it’s ridiculous how much I consume. Do I get tired of it? No doubt. However, a couple straight days of OJ, OJ, OJ will make you feel 100% better. I prefer Simply Orange, but Tropicana works as well (no pulp).

2. CVS Severe Cold and Flu - You read that right, CVS brand. It has day time pills (non-drowsy) and night time pills (knock you right out) in the same package, and it works great. Also, it’ll save you a few bucks over the well known brand names.

3. No Milk - For some reason, milk makes any sinus problems I’m having worse, so while I have a cold I generally try to steer clear of it.

4. Water - I drink a lot of water regularly, but when I’m sick I drink as much water as I do OJ. It seems to help clear out my system and along with the OJ really works to rid me of my illness.

5. Sleep - Seems like common sense, but when you have a cold a good solid day of sleep can make you feel 110% better. Per my last article, it’s definitely worth it to take a day off from work if it means that the next day you’re almost back to full productivity. Don’t fight tiredness, just roll with it, especially if you’re taking medication.

As with all illnesses, if you still are feeling sick after 3-4 days, see a doctor. However, I usually try the steps above for 1-2 days before I consider this. If it’s a common cold (which it usually is for me), then there’s really not much the doctor can do that’s different from what’s listed above.