Twenty-Something and Starving

Having a cold will make even the most pleasant of people absolutely miserable. Worst of all, the most irritating symptoms are usually interconnected. One of the most common causes of a sore throat is post-nasal drip. Gross! Excessive coughing can lead to a sore throat as well.

For those of you out there suffering with any of the above symptoms, I’ve got just what the doctor ordered. Obviously, the most important thing is to drink plenty of water. Vitamin C is a give-in as well, and will aid in boosting your immune system to help to fight off your cold.

When I got sick as a child, my mom would always make me chicken broth with rice. Hot liquids are always soothing when you’re sick, and heat is one of the best ways to reduce inflammation of the throat. The heat from the broth or any hot liquid you consume while you’re sick coats the inflamed regions of your throat and helps to increase circulation. This will ultimately speed up the healing process.

Ginger is one of the most common home remedies for a sore throat, and its use as such can be traced back to Asia over 2,000 years ago. It is also used to aid in digestion and relieve upset stomach and nausea. If you are plagued with these symptoms, ginger is a remedy you should seriously consider.

In my personal opinion, the worst of all the cold symptoms is nasal congestion. It just seems to make everything worse. When you can’t breathe through your nose you automatically breathe through your mouth, which contributes to drying out your throat. Dry throat leads to an even worse cough and unbearable pain.

Boo to that, I say! So long as your stomach isn’t bothering you, spicy foods are great for aiding with nasal congestion. You know that feeling you get when you eat buffalo wings at happy hour? Spicy foods will do the same thing with a stuffy nose that they do with a healthy one.

These recipes won’t only help you feel better faster; they taste pretty good too!

Ginger Green Tea with Honey (makes one serving)

1 green tea bag
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon honey
12-ounces boiling water

Combine first three ingredients in a big mug. Add boiling water.
Allow to steep 2-4 minutes. Sip and enjoy.

Spicy Chicken Quesadillas (makes 4 quesadillas)

1 cup shredded chicken breast
1 jalapeño pepper, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
½ small red onion, diced
1 cup shredded pepper-jack cheese
1 cup spicy salsa
8 corn tortillas

Heat a small frying pan over low heat. Place in one tortilla. Sprinkle with ¼ cup of cheese. Allow to sit about one minute, until cheese beings to melt. Meanwhile, combine chicken, jalapeno, garlic and onion in a small bowl.  Add ¼ cup chicken mixture on top of cheese. Top with a second tortilla. Flip to cook the second side. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Serve with spicy salsa.