Cold and Scratchy Throat Relief

I managed to catch a nasty cold that’s been circling around New York City.  And, I think I would have beat it sooner had I not ran all over town with wet socks on Monday.  If you are a New Yorker, you probably know all too well the mighty puddles that can pool up on street corners in the days after a hefty snowfall.  Add some rain and not quite waterproof shoes and you chances of keeping your feet dry are next to none.  Some might say getting sick from cold, damp feet it’s an old wife’s tale, but I’m not so certain.  The result for me: the cold I had almost kicked got worse, I had an awful headache, and I nearly lost my voice by Tuesday evening.

Of course, I should invest in a pair good pair of rain boats as a future preventative measure.  Right now, however, I wanted to share a few relieving fixes I like.

First and foremost is one that’s very self-explanatory and cannot be substituted EVER. What? REST.

Secondly, here’s a cold-fighting tonic I’m fond of that I learned my friend and Chinese medicine practitioner Frances Boswell: hot water with ginger, garlic, lemon, and honey.  You can also add a little fresh horseradish or scallion for an added kick.