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Sick days cheatsheet

Or how to help my tired cloudy mind Published on thought

I am not sure what is happening to me, but since about a year, I get sick much more severely than before. A common cold can lead to exhaustion, strong headaches and nausea.

As it is happening more and more often, here is a list of the things I personally do to help me feel better (in no particular order).

For the immune system

  • Sleep, sleep, sleep
  • Take some Vitamin C (e.g. oranges and broccoli)
  • Drink herbal teas with honey and ginger
  • Eat some rice porridge with tumeric[1]
  • To test: defrost and drink an immunity shot

For a sore throat

  • Gargle salt water a few times a day
  • Eat a teaspoon of honey
  • Drink a few drops of propolis

For a congested nose

  • Take a hot shower
  • Drink a lot of water throughout the day
  • Do a steam bath[2]
  • Rinse nostrils with a neti pot a few times a day[3]

For nausea

  • Controlled breathing[4]
  • Eat bland foods, avoid spicy or fatty foods
  • To test: wrist acupressure to point Neiguan (P-6)
  • To test: candied ginger or fennel tea

To prevent sinusitis

I have a sensitive nose that easily transforms an inoffensive cold into full-fledged sinusitis. Here are ways to prevent it:

  • Rinse nostrils with a neti pot a few times a day[3:1]
  • Drink lots of water to keep the mucus thin
  • Take a hot shower and do a steam bath[2:1]
  • Avoid dry environments
  • Sleep with your head elevated
  • Blow your nose gently, one nostril at a time. Forceful blowing can irritate the nasal passages and propel bacteria-laden mucus back up into your sinuses.
  • Try these acupressure methods


  1. Always make sure to store some porridge in the freezer! ↩︎

  2. Essential oils: 1 drop lavender, 1 drop peppermint ↩︎ ↩︎

  3. Preboil 3/4 cup water and let it cool down, mix in 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp baking soda. You can keep this solution for a week. ↩︎ ↩︎

  4. Inhale through nose to a count of three, hold breath to a count of three, then exhale to a count of three ↩︎

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