My 5 Sick Day Must Haves

I had a wicked cold last week that really knocked me out of commission for a few days. It came on out of nowhere and before I knew it I couldn’t go 2 minutes without my nose becoming a fancy waterworks installation in the middle of my face. Being sick is positively the worst, but there are a few items I like to have on hand to make the healing process just a pinch less miserable.

• Tissues with lotion: Perhaps you don’t get a perpetually running nose when sick, but my nose doesn’t stop running so I’m constantly blowing it. Because of that it is an absolute must for me to have tissues with lotion infused or my nose will literally begin to peel like an onion. It’s pretty gross and painful too. Pro-tip: if your nose starts to peel when you are away from home and resources put some chap stick on it to start soothing the dry skin and hopefully downplay the appearance.
• Peppermint oil: Few things can begin to calm a headache as fast as peppermint oil. Is it a perfect solution? No. You’re head is still going to hurt some, but it’s going to take a half hour for the Ibuprofen to kick in. While you wait on your pharmaceuticals to take the wheel, a little dot of peppermint oil on the temples really does work wonders to relieve a bit of the tension.
• Eucalyptus oil: I love using eucalyptus oil before bed when my nose is stuffed up so I can breathe a bit deeper and hopefully get a full nights sleep to aid with healing. I usually dap some on my wrists and neck, but if the stuffiness is really bad I’ll put it right under my nose too. Much like the peppermint oil, it’s not a perfect solution but it definitely helps.
• Miso soup: A warm bowl of soup is absolutely a sick day cliché and I don’t even care. Soup just makes you feel good! I have a particular affinity for miso soup (it’s one of my top 5 favorite foods) and there are plenty of health benefits linked to miso paste. Pro-tip: Miso soup will do absolute wonderful for a hangover. If you don’t gave any on hand/can’t order any then soy sauce flavored ramen noodles will do the job as well. You’ll want to stick with the Nissin brand if you’re vegan.
• Monolaurin: Monolaurin is a supplement derived from coconuts. It’s said to help fight colds, flu, infections, etc. I take a couple capsules if I feel like I might be getting sick, when I am sick, if Austin is sick, if my coworkers are sick, or if I know I’m going to be around children. I 100% feel that taking monolaurin helps to prevent me from getting sick and assists with getting me healthy quicker. This is the best secret weapon I have in my arsenal.