sick

Taking zinc can shorten the life of the common cold, says a review of numerous medical studies. And while chicken soup might soothe the soul, zinc can make symptoms like a runny nose and sore throat feel less harsh and also shorten the length of a cold by a few days. The only catch is that it must be taken at the very first signs of a cold to work.

Fifteen studies looking at the effects of zinc on the common cold were reviewed by Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and results showed that the benefits of zinc "were significant," reports The New York Times. In one study, zinc cut the life of a cold from seven days to four days, and in another study, the duration of a cough was reduced by three days. What doctors don't yet know is why zinc seems to work or which zinc products work best. And with so many zinc products on the market, this unknown piece of knowledge can make for a confusing shopping spree. While all of the studies used various forms of zinc in a range of doses, the general consensus is that it does work to shorten colds and make symptoms less severe. Have any of you found success with zinc?

Whenever I have a bad cough — take the last EIGHT days for instance — I'll take a hot shower for some temporary relief. The warmth of the heat coupled with the steam helps moisturize my dry and irritated throat and helps loosen the phlegm in my chest. Because the cold I have this week is especially brutal, my friends have been offering me all sorts of remedies, like these Aura Cacia eucalyptus shower tabs ($6). You put one of these tabs on the shower floor with you and as the hot water dissolves it, your bathroom becomes turns into a eucalyptus steam room. Besides eucalyptus, there are also peppermint and lavender tabs available.

This whole process is pretty similar to making a steam bowl with essential oils, except that you get a lot more of it at once. And because eucalyptus is a natural decongestant, taking a shower with one of these tabs really helps clear up my sinuses and loosen up my cough. My only gripe is that they are ultimately pretty pricey, and don't last an incredibly long during a shower. I think I might experiment with this concept by putting a few drops of eucalyptus oil on the shower floor, or hanging a bundle of fresh eucalyptus in the shower.

Last week I was miserable with a cold — runny nose, zero energy, aches and pains, and horrible congestion. Basically, I was a wreck. Given that the mister was sick the week prior, it's pretty likely he was the giver of my nasty present.

When my loved ones are sick, I usually do my best to take care of them. My mama bear instincts come out, and I totally forget that I'm putting myself in the line of fire. I cook big batches of spicy soups, make sure they have an arsenal of meds at their bedside, and keep them company since they're stuck at home.

A colleague of mine said that the minute anyone in her house gets sick, she wipes down every doorknob and light switch and sticks to limited contact. A friend of mine takes it up a notch and won't even see her boyfriend if he's sick. Everyone else seems to load up on zinc and echinacea in order to protect themselves. Based on these stories, I am now rethinking how I handle sick friends and family. For the record, these two women are remarkably always OK and seem to escape the cold and flu when it's going around. Yet, I always succumb to it even though I keep a very healthy and active lifestyle.

I'm wondering what all of you do when someone close to you gets sick — do you get into nurture mode, practice careful restraint, or banish them to an island?

Do moms ever have downtime — even when they are sick? That's what a pregnant colleague wondered when her son recently came down with an ear infection and a nasty case of pink eye. She rented him movies, set up art projects, and occupied her tot to keep him happy. At the same time, she was diligent about keeping her hands washed, the toys sanitized, and the pillowcases clean.

After a night of trying to comfort the preschooler to sleep, she woke up with crusty eyes and realized that the pesky germs must have passed through his falling tears. Instead of staying in bed and watching Lifetime movies all day like she wanted to, her "sick day" consisted of entertaining her on-the-mend son and having to ignore her own condition.