The only thing worse than getting sick during finals week is getting sick right after it–and cutting into your precious summer. Even when you’re pulling all-nighters and cranking out those last few 15-page papers, here’s how to give your immune system the boost it needs so you can enjoy the beginning of summer.
1. Drink chamomile tea.
It may sound like an old wives’ tale, but it’s true. Studies have shown that this tea really does fight and prevent the common cold, but some added benefits are that it helps protect against cancer and soothes cramps! Drink up, ladies!
2. Use a saline nasal spray 1-2 times per day.
Saline nasal sprays are just saltwater, but you can’t exactly snort it out of a cup. Instead, make sure you grab a bottle of Ocean Nasal Spray or Simply Saline the next time you’re at CVS or Village Apothecary, and you’re set! The salt actually clears your nasal passages and respiratory tract, flushing out any bacteria that may lead to colds and stuffy noses. Even if you do get sick, using a saline spray will help the swelling of the nasal passages go down, which will make you less stuffy. Sure, a nasal spray might seem gross at first, but it beats having a cold.
3. Drink Airborne a few times per day.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with Airborne, it’s a tablet that you pop into a glass of water that’s jam-packed with flavor, Vitamin C, and other vitamins and minerals. The Vitamin C is a great immune booster, and it comes in a variety of yummy flavors! (My favorite is Very Berry Strawberry, in case you were wondering.)
4. If you are already sick, take Zicam every 3-4 hours.
Zicam offers meltaway, chewable, and nasal-spray options, and each dose is full of zinc–another important mineral to immune-system health. While the meltaways and chewables may taste a bit chalky, the length of your cold becomes reduced significantly if you’re diligent about popping one every few hours.
5. Don’t stress!
The more you stress about being sick, the more likely you are to become sick. Getting a full night’s sleep and eating properly can be hard during finals, and even unrealistic sometimes, so make sure you follow the steps above to stay as healthy as possible during this stressful time. Hey, look on the bright side–summer is almost here!
Have a fantastic summer, collegiettes!