Unorthodox remedies... that work!

[Johnnytheboy]

Does anyone else have a seemingly bizarre remedy for the common cold that seems to work?

You get no points for saying something generic like whisky, honey and lemon. I'm talking about something that actually seems to stop the illness in its tracks.

Reason for posting is that I have one and it works: cheap red wine.

When I first feel that I'm coming down with a cold (and I seem to get them whenever anyone does) I buy a bottle of the cheapest red wine the supermarket sells, and drink the whole thing over the course of an evening.

The following day I wake up feeling like I have a bit of a cold, the day after I am cured.

I have - by a combination of design and circumstance - exposed this to semi-scientific testing: if I don't drink wine and feel a cold coming I almost always succumb to a proper cold. If I do the cheap wine thing, I seem to get only a very pathetic cold as described about 3/4 of the time.

This was discovered by accident many, many years ago. My flatmate and I both started feeling rough on a Saturday morning. I went to my girlfriend's house and drink much cheap wine. My flatmate went to her mum's, was sober all night and came home on Sunday with a stinking cold.





I've never bothered reading up on this but it seems I'm not alone:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=red+wine+cold+re...

Oddly, I have found that decent red wine has no such benefit, though I've no idea.

I should add that I am not an enormous fan of wine, so this is not an excuse to drink it one a school night.

Anyone else got something as weird... that actually works?

[boxst]

Lots and lots of sliced garlic and some unsalted butter in a saucepan of milk and then warmed and simmered.

Even if it doesn't work, you are at least stopping the spread as no-one will come near you for a while ....

[JustALooseScrew]

Johnnytheboy said:

Anyone else got something as weird... that actually works?

Not for a cold, but numerous experiences and anecdotal evidence would suggest that Walkers Prawn Cocktail Flavour Crisps are superb at combating sea sickness, car sickness and air sickness.

[Johnnytheboy]

JustALooseScrew said:

Johnnytheboy said:

Anyone else got something as weird... that actually works?

Not for a cold, but numerous experiences and anecdotal evidence would suggest that Walkers Prawn Cocktail Flavour Crisps are superb at combating sea sickness, car sickness and air sickness.

How bizarre! How did you come by this revelation?

[Tallow]

JustALooseScrew said:

Not for a cold, but numerous experiences and anecdotal evidence would suggest that Walkers Prawn Cocktail Flavour Crisps are superb at combating sea sickness, car sickness and air sickness.

Presumably by making you ever sicker in advance!

[Pothole]

My dad, a seafarer for 20+ years whose first proper voyage was Scapa to Murmansk in 1943, swore by Bovril for seasickness.

[Johnnytheboy]

I never expected this to veer into motion sickness, but keep them coming!

This can just be the "unorthodox remedies" thread!

[B17NNS]

My nan used to swear by a knob of butter rolled in the sugar bowl.

[cbmotorsport]

Not unorthodox, but if I feel a cold coming on, I'll have a seriously hot curry/jerk chicken/similar spicy dish....and I mean hot. Hot enough to give you the sweats. Works every time.

[BoRED S2upid]

Champagne and lots of it. Best way to cure a cold ever get hammered on it take to your bed sleep off the hangover and you will be cold free within 24 hours.

[V8covin]

I used to get 4 colds a year,when the seasons changed believe it or not.
In October last year I started taking omega 3 tablets.
Not had a cold since

[xx99xx]

Sauna/steam room helps with symptoms. Whether it actually shortens the duration of the virus is debatable as research suggests it doesn't but the heat/steam helps shift mucus which I certainly find beneficial.

[Tallow]

xx99xx said:

Sauna/steam room helps with symptoms. Whether it actually shortens the duration of the virus is debatable as research suggests it doesn't but the heat/steam helps shift mucus which I certainly find beneficial.

Wouldn't that also infect everyone else in the sauna/steam room? Still, a problem shared is a problem halfed as they say...

[JustALooseScrew]

Johnnytheboy said:

JustALooseScrew said:

Not for a cold, but numerous experiences and anecdotal evidence would suggest that Walkers Prawn Cocktail Flavour Crisps are superb at combating sea sickness, car sickness and air sickness.

How bizarre! How did you come by this revelation?

It happened when I was about 10, Dad had a Triumph Stag and we used to get driven from Manchester to Harrow and back on a weekend to visit the the grand parents.

I always used to get car sick, very car sick, as in stopping to vomit on the hard shoulder car sick. Then one Sunday night for the trip home I was given a packet of Walkers Prawn Cocktail Flavour Crisps for the journey home by my Grand Parents. No car sickness.

There and ever after used on all other trips with no sick problems at all.

About 10 years later I was working for a big pharma company and sat in the tea room one lad is telling me about his bike trip to the Isle of Wight. He's telling me how they'd ridden off from Manchester remembering to stop off and buy Walkers Prawn Cocktail Flavour Crisps for the ferry crossing. All his mates being in agreement with these mystical powers.

Bingo! 2+2 actually made 4.

Over the years (I'm 50 now) I've heard so many stories of this working. My parents live in Ireland so I've had many a rough ferry crossing back and forth. I always stop to get a packet of Walkers Prawn Cocktail Flavour Crisps ready for the crossing.

I've suggested it to fellow passengers, even told the crews on these ferries to try it - it's completely nuts that it might work.

By the way I don't work for or have any affiliation with Walkers.

Placebo or genuine physiological effect I don't actually know or to be honest really care, it's just always worked for me and with anyone I've forced it upon/suggested it to.

Thanks for reading, try it your self, report back on how get on.

(Given the off topic posts - OP you might ask the mods to remove the word 'cold' from the title )

[Gary29]

B17NNS said:

My nan used to swear by a knob of butter rolled in the sugar bowl.

That's all well and good, but can we please stay on topic.

[BrabusMog]

OP does this work when you're mid cold? I started feeling rough on Sunday and now it's full blown man flu which is showing no signs of improvement and I'm desperate to shift it! Any particular brand?

[JustALooseScrew]

Pothole said:

My dad, a seafarer for 20+ years whose first proper voyage was Scapa to Murmansk in 1943, swore by Bovril for seasickness.

That's really interesting, my Dad is still alive and of similar age, I'll ask him about that.

[Jonny TVR]

I get around one cold every 2-3 years. The reason for this I believe is that I exercise, don't smoke anymore, I eat 2-3 oranges during the day, one vit C tablet in the morning and one before going to bed and if I feel the slightest symptom of a cold coming on I take first defence. I used to get them all the time before doing all of this. Saying that I did have a cold last week but it came and went in 3 days.

[Type R Tom]

Vodka socks were used in Estonia apparently for a fever. I suppose it's cheap enough over there to throw around.

[JustALooseScrew]

BrabusMog said:

OP does this work when you're mid cold? I started feeling rough on Sunday and now it's full blown man flu which is showing no signs of improvement and I'm desperate to shift it! Any particular brand?

Here's some sympathy, "_". Yes that big

Nip down to Aldi, grab a cheap bottle of red, neck it and report back later.