I’m not a doctor (unless you count my endless Googling of health symptoms as medical research) but I do have quite a bit of experience with having and getting over colds. I’ve trial and “errored” many ideas for speedy recovery and have narrowed in on some pretty key ingredients to both alleviate the stress of being sick and to get quickly bouncing back to health. Some of these tips may seem pretty obvious but you’d be surprised at how often I find myself NOT doing them when I’m feeling under the weather.
So, how can you plan and achieve your own sick-day of r o y a l t y? Make a day of getting better. Celebrate the fact that you’re putting your health needs before all else. Go easy on yourself. If you’re anything like me then you probably blame yourself for getting sick and then you beat yourself up for not being able to accomplish the days’ tasks under your condition. Not cool! Take it easy; it’s the best way to recover so that you can get back to saving the world. Make a plan using these 7 tips to cater your day to your sick self.
ONE.
Stay Hydrated. Hot tea is my favorite beverage to have by my side but you can have some “sick” fun by changing your liquids up throughout the day. Remember to stay clear of sugary drinks or ones with loads of caffeine or alcohol; If you want a quick recovery, you gotta keep those liquids pure. I like to make a concoction that’s basically love in a cup:
In a big mug you put:
- Boiling hot water.
- One mint tea bag.
- One green tea bag (it has a little caffeine but just enough to give you a kick and not feel too much like death).
- A few drops of lemon juice.
- A couple of big juicy slices of fresh ginger.
- Four drops of echinacea extract. This will help to boost your immune system and if you don’t have any on hand, I highly recommend you add it to your shopping list. If it’s not accessible, no worries, the rest of the ingredients will do.
TWO
Rest. Put whatever you possibly can on hold and prioritize your leisure. Read, binge watch your favorite series or just get some serious catchup on your Zs. Get cozy and cuddled up in bed or on the couch. You can make yourself a little sick station that’s easily reachable in order to minimize movement. My sick station usually consists of lots of tissues, somewhere to discard them and at least three different beverages like a big mug of tea, water and possibly a fresh squeezed juice (100% juice!). My sick station is also typically loaded with some good snacks but I’ll talk more about that in number 7.
THREE
Laughter. It really IS the best medicine. Call up a friend who has a record of making you pee-your-pants laugh and feel the stress of being sick ease away. Or, as you’re reading or binge-watching shows and movies, make sure to pick funny stuff that makes you giggle and calm your mind. I find that watching or reading about bad things when I’m sick can make me feel overwhelmed which in turn makes me feel worse. So stick to the funny, light-hearted stuff.
FOUR
Reconfigure Plans. If your workload or to-do list is continuing to stress you out, take out a piece of paper and write it down. Write down what you need to do and determine when things actually need to get done. Try to sweep everything off of your docket if you can so that you can focus on the most important thing: your recovery. Once your troubles are on paper, you can put them away and get back to taking care of your most basic needs.
FIVE
Stay Toasty. You MUST wear comfy socks and keep yourself covered from head to toe. Even if you’re not particularly chilly, I find that keeping in the heat helps lend to a speedy recovery. So cuddle up with your favorite cozy blanket and keep the hot beverages and soups coming.
SIX
Do Gentle Exercise. Depending on how sick you are, going out for a slow and easy, mindful walk can get your recovery juices flowing. A little bit of sunlight and a dose of fresh air can really do a lot for your sick-induced low mood. If the weather is not so friendly or your body lacks the life to get up and go outside, try some gentle stretching on the floor. Move in whatever way feels good to you, listen to your body. Or, here are a few of my favorite low-intensity moves:
- Start with: Forward Fold – Bending from your hips, let your weight hang towards the floor, giving into gravity and getting the blood flowing to your head.
- Child’s Pose – This stress-relieving pose will give you a chance to focus on your breathing and relax your back and shoulders.
- Camel Pose- Now come up on your knees and gently bend backwards to let your chest open up to the sky. Breath into your chest and let the sickness fall away.
SEVEN
Nutritious Food. Fill up on it. This means heaps of fresh vegetables and fruits. My favorite thing to snack on when I’m sick is fruit. Eat lots of it, the more variety the better. Having vitamins and minerals cursing through your veins will ensure that you get better. And of course, a hot soup will make for a nice addition to your sick-day collection. To make a healthy and delectable soup, cram all kinds of vegetables into a pot, boil them until soft and then blend them with a hand mixer into creamy deliciousness. Add a potato for extra creaminess and don’t forget to pack this soup with loads of garlic because garlic is another sickness-soothing secret. I also like to load my vegetable soup with lots of curry, pepper and salt to taste.
Hopefully by the end of your first sick day of r o y a l t y, you’ll be feeling some relief. Remember to get lots of extra sleep when you’re sick and don’t be too hard on yourself if you end up having to spend a couple of days like this. Treat yourself kindly and before you know it, you’ll be out there kicking ass once again.
Honey Brew 