A brisk walk, even curry may help The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently took steps to remove nonprescription cold medications from the market that contain the decongestant phenylpropanolamine. A recent HealthScout story warns that products containing the drug may be linked to strokes caused by bleeding. Fortunately, cold sufferers have many alternatives for treating symptoms. A feature from Britain's Independent says that doctors still recommend hot soup for relief although a spicy curry will get clogged mucus flowing better.
Exercise moves the blood around the body, and that promotes recovery.
And if you must use some kind of decongestant, use a nasal spray, which is much less likely to cause side effects elsewhere in the body. Given the recent warning about phenylpropanolamine, don't let advertisers convince you that herbal decongestants are necessarily safer. Chemists developed phenylpropanolamine by tinkering with the active chemical in the herbal remedy ephedra, also known as Ma Huang, which has also been linked to deaths. Another HealthScout story describes safer alternatives. A pair of stories from The Times of London offers help for treating cold symptoms in children and reviews the difference between colds and the flu .