Vindaflu.......

Don't link to the blogs of people with colds or flu. That's official. I'm going to blame Ray because it's easy and, obviously, because I can. I've been surrounded at work by people taking the "SickBoy" name far too much to heart but I'm still pointing the finger at him.

{points finger}

See ?

Since the toast incident a few posts back I've been suffering with a gradual shutdown of nasal services - yep, I'm another blogging bloke with a cold. I'm assuming toast-smoke-particles (if there are such things) irritated my nose into laying down the welcome mat for Gerry Germ and all his little friends.

Tonight it's time to fight back with my patented method:-

1 x sub-nuclear strength curry
1 x garlic rice
1 x garlic naan
1 x spinach side dish
1 x pint of orange or grapefruit juice.

Split portions in two and have half for two consecutive days to keep the battle running.

Now, the strange thing is that I've always done this after I found it once worked but I've never really known if there was anything to it other than a placebo effect. A search on Google seems to second my plan and prove that I'd accidently hit all the bases (spices, vit C, green veg, garlic, no booze). To quote the BBC article:-



Alternative remedies

There are alternative remedies on the market - some of which are still available at your local chemist.

Besides Vitamin C, zinc and garlic are well known to improve the immune system - and they are produced in tablet form.

When it comes to preventative measures, foods rich in calcium should be added to your diet - such as sardines, salmon, almonds, broccoli and green vegetables.

You should try to keep your home and work place well ventilated, and to get plenty of fresh air.

What about a curry?

If you don't fancy popping pills, one doctor has come up with a new tip - try a curry. Professor Ron Eccles, the director of the Common Cold Centre at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, says a spicy dish works wonders.

He recommends tucking into a powerful vindaloo or a madras, rather than a korma. The curry works by making the eyes and nose run, so extra mucus traps the virus. Professor Eccles said: 'The spices can help get rid of germs from the system and at the same time clear the airways.'

But you shouldn't wash the curry down with lager - as alcohol counteracts the benefits, because it dehydrates nasal passages.