Feeling Sick? Laura McKenna is here to help with some home remedies.

I know I’m going to be jinxing myself but somehow – and I don’t know why I’ve been so lucky – I’ve managed to avoid all this sickness that is going around.

Everywhere I go it seems that people are coughing and hacking and sniffling and sneezing! Then they want to tell ya how sick they are!

No! No. Why are you even here? GO HOME! Jeez!

But if you do come down with a case of the crud, here are some things that I swear by:

GARGLE SALT WATER
This is nasty, nasty. But so is being sick so I just have to do it when I have a sore throat. Upon a doctor’s recommendation a long time ago when I was dealing with strep, I tried this simple trick to ease my raging swallows.

Take a little bit of hot water (not scalding but as hot as you can stand it) and mix in salt. How much? You don’t need a ton but a teaspoon will do the trick. Little more, little less. It’s forgiving.

Then gargle that nasty salty concoction for as long as you can. Then spit it into the sink. Do it again. You’re not going to want to but trust me. Do it twice. Then spit and spit (and dramatically keep spitting) to get it all out of your mouth. It’s not a pleasant thing but it will magically ease a sore throat better than anything over the counter that I’ve ever tried in my life.

WATER- BOTH IN YOU & ON YOU
I don’t much care how I look, let alone what kinda menthol Vicks smells I’m rocking when I’m sick. But I do think taking a nice warm bubble bath helps.

ON YOU: I’m a bath girl even when I’m well so maybe this is mind over matter but soaking in a bathtub with some Dr. Teals bubble bath or just adding epsom salt to the water always makes me feel like I am gonna make it. Plus, you can lean back and keep an ice pack on your head even while you soak your buns. The key is soothing hydration.

& IN YOU (Always be sippin’): While you’re soaking in the bath water, keep sipping on a glass of water or whatever your stomach can handle. Water is important (but juice, tea, something with added electrolytes will work, too!) Always keep a glass filled at all times and make yourself keep sipping. A hydrated body just feels better any day. It’s easy to get dehydrated when you’re sick because you don’t feel like eating or drinking anything. But that’s when it’s most important!

I hope these few easy things make you feel a little better with whatever you’re battling.

And to make you smile, let’s take a little trip down memory lane today on this February 21st. Way back on this date in 1931, Alka-Seltzer was first introduced. One of the most creative jingles to this day still reminds us to Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz (even though I haven’t heard it in years).

Want to contact Laura McKenna about something you do when you’re not feeling well to get better soon? Or anything else that’s on your mind? Email anytime, she’d love to hear from you: Laura.McKenna@civicmedia.us
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