cure for the common cold

there's a lot of speculation out there on the cure for the common cold. in reality, they aren't "cures" because the common cold still exists. they are more matronly suggestions on how to weather the bug caught while "burning the candle at both ends. (thanks mom.) these suggestions usually include: getting lots of rest, taking it easy (i.e. staying in pj's all day watching tv), and drinking lots of liquids.

i don't buy it. first, getting lots of rest is fine. i'm a big proponent of sleep and power naps are right up there with cereal on my list, but it's the combination of "getting lots of rest" and "taking it easy" that's problematic. it's a cold. not the stomach flu, not an inner ear infection, not the bubonic plague. yeah, it might feel kind of crummy but wallowing in self-pity and snot rags isn't going to improve things. get up, take a shower, and do something. i don't advise binge drinking or marathon running but maybe some light laundry? or cooking? who knows, you might even forget your under the weather and get something accomplished.

so second, there's this issue of drinking lots of liquids. again, on the surface, seems like wise advice. especially, if there's hard, green mucus impeding oxygen to the brain. best to loosen that up. but thick, off-color snot is often a sign of infection, which might mean that something more serious than the common cold. so back to the normal-snotted situations of the cold. in these cases, one is told to drink liquids but NOT milk.
what?!
not milk.
why?!
because it increases mucus production.
look. milk is delicious and often drank with delicious baked goods, which i'm almost positive will offset any milky side affects. no one is thinking about their cold when eating banana bread or oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. and if you are, you're very ill and i advice you to go immediately to the ER.

these are my thoughts on the common cold-- take them or leave them and feel better soon.

if interested in other thoughts i've had today, you can go to other thoughts i've had today.