Interesting discussion. First, I’ll say I’m all for personal choice and the free market regarding the availability of OTC cold drugs, and that people should do what they’re comfortable with and what works for them. I personally remember suffering through many longlasting colds when I was a youngun and my immune system was still being formed. I was given all the usual stuff, not realizing that some of it was contributing to my problems, which were assumed to be all part of the sickness. However, I found over the years that I had to be EXTREMELY careful about what decongestants I should take, as many of the ones mentioned here on this thread are poison to me, and the side effects are so bad as to outweigh any small good they might do.
All that said, about 10 days ago I caught a cold. It was the first one I’ve had this century. (Crap happens. Oh well!) I was with a bunch of friends - all younger than me, and all unjabbed, btw - and we picked up something and all got sick the next day. But this time I just opted to trust my well-fortified immune system and take an otherwise hands-off approach (other than extra Vit. C, rest and lots of liquids), and the cold lasted between four and five days altogether. My husband never caught it from me (he takes a lot of the supplements that I do, but not all). My friends are all still quite under the weather to this day and have passed “IT” along to others as well, having developed more flu than cold-like illnesses, with body aches, sore throat, fever and extreme weakness that I never got, along with the respiratory issues. My resp. issues were so minor that I just blew my nose for about three days nonstop. LOL But it never turned into gooey or thick mucus, or went into my chest at all. So I wouldn’t care if I never saw those decongestant drugs again, personally. And to date I’ve not taken any prescription meds, which I hope to avoid forever. But I realize not everyone is as willing to take as many immune-boosting concoctions and herbs as I take year-round (probably 30 daily, at least).
Fill a jar with sliced onions. Pour honey to just cover the onions. Let sit for 12 hours and boom cough and decongestant medicine.
He he. I'm constantly experimenting, too. It's like a hobby.
😉 Mark Twain said that an untreated cold will endure for seven days but with proper care it will be over in a week.
***to date I’ve not taken any prescription meds, which I hope to avoid forever***
Sounds great. I had a friend who also never took prescription drugs and lived to about 90. I am reminded of an Aussie who wandered into the outback and disappear. After about two weeks they decided that he must be dead because he was on critical meds. In a while he wandered into a settlement and was in the best health for years. 😁
Like Mama25, head colds tend to migrate into me bronchial tubes and eventually into my lungs. I have had pneumonia twice so I take the obvious way out and seek medical relief.
bbb onion & honey