How to deal with your cold like a boss

It's common cold season, that inevitable time of year when you can never have enough tissues. Lately, I got to thinking *Carrie Bradshaw goals* that there are two ways of dealing with a cold.

Option one: complain about it relentlessly to loved ones and the people of Facebook. #cold. Thermometer-in-mouth emoji. Yeah... no one wants to be that guy.

Option two: like a boss. Let's do this, soldier!




1. Eat the rainbow
The absolute best thing you can do for your body while it's battling a cold is to eat as many different coloured types of fruit and vegetables as you can get your mitts on. More vitamins and minerals = more power to shift the bugs.

2. Spice it up
Add a few extra things to your diet for extra brownie points. Pop some warming cinnamon and ginger in your morning smoothie - both are used in traditional medicine to help you, erm, sweat it out. Sprinkle a kick of cayenne onto your lunch (delicious on poached eggs) to aid a blocked nose.

3. Drink plenty of water
There's some gross science behind this. Wanna hear it? Cold and flu bugs really love dehydrated throat and nasal passages because there's less mucus to catch them and stop them causing havoc. I KNOW, RIGHT? So make sure you get those eight glasses a day and foil their evil plans.

4. Do some gentle exercise
Being cooped up inside doesn't help if you're feeling under the weather. If you can manage it, get out for a nice walk and breathe in some fresh air. You might not feel like it at first but you'll definitely wave goodbye to some cobwebs en route.

5. Get steamy
As in, steam your face. Boil a kettle, pour some water into a large bowl and add a few drops of something like Olbas Oil. Stick a towel over your head and breathe in the scented steam. It *might* be kind of gross but you'll flush out loads of nasties.

6. Treat yourself
Simple things, like buying a new magazine and curling up to read it from start to finish. Or shrouding yourself in a blanket and pottering into the kitchen to make a tasty treat. I whipped up some raw chocolate and cherry fudge from Madeleine Shaw's cookbook (my review here) when I was feeling under the weather. Perfect to scoff alongside a herb tea. Also, obviously flowers.



7. Give yourself a mani
Because when your nose looks like you pinched it off of Rudolf, pretty nails will make you feel 78 per cent more human.

8. Relax! 
There's no point beating yourself up if you don't feel up to much. Just look after yourself and grab an early night. Who knows, those germs suckers might be gone by the morning.