It creeps on you, in the dead of night. Your throat feels a tingle on the side. You find it hard to swallow. The next day, you start to cough. Then all of sudden you are sneezing. That’s right, and you have a cold.

I know I will get one or two colds a year. My colds tend to last three to five days. With two days of me in bed. I don’t like to medicate too much as I know my body needs to learn how to heal naturally.

First and foremost, I increase my water intake. I know I need to stay hydrated. I decrease my coffee intake. I drink tea or hot water. This all helps soothe my throat.

By the second night, I am coughing up a storm. I sleep with my big sweater I got from the Wicked play a few years ago. I put Vicks on my chest, to help me “sweat it out.”

I also, put on socks with Vicks on my feet. I noticed this limits my cold by a day. I have a business to run after all.

I do take Nyquil to help me sleep, especially if I am stuffed up. I don’t want to be tossing and turning all night. I want to sleep.

Finally, I let my body rest. Yes, there are emails to answer, articles to write. But I give myself a day at least to lay on the couch with Disney movies. Your body is telling you, you need to rest. So rest!

Then just like that in the middle of the night, and before the sun rises, your cold vanishes.