i was told that drinking water with mccormick's sea salt will help a cold is this true and how much salt do you put in

McCormick's sea salt is a brand that packages and markets natural sea salt from various countries and locations. However, there are no medical benefits to their products, nor do they claim so! The advice you got was probably based on the popular grandmother's remedy from a sore throat, which recommends a gargle with salt water. Drinking salt water will, however, not help you with your cold. However, you can use salted water to get some relief from a general symptom, a blocked nose. This happens when the viral infection that causes the common cold stimulates an excessive production of mucous. While most of the mucous is expelled while sneezing, in some cases it can block the nasal cavities, leading to an uncomfortable blocked feeling and difficulty in breathing. You need to make a salt solution (one spoon of salt to a glass of lukewarm water) and put it into a squeeze bottle. Holding your head back, squirt the solution directly into the nose. This should help unblock the mucous and expel it.

The important thing to remember is that there is no magic cure of the cold; you simply have to wait it out until the viral infection has run its course, which normally lasts for two weeks. However, you can take several measures to ease the symptoms of your cold. Get plenty of rest to give your immune system the support it needs to get over the viral infection. Stay well-hydrated by drinking 8-10 glasses of water every day to keep your mucous wet and easy to expel. You can also unblock your nose by inhaling steam; cover your head with a towel as you bend over a bowl of steaming water, to which you can add a few drops of eucalyptus oil.

Chicken soup is another popular home remedy that actually works by thinning the mucous and providing you vital nutrition. Avoid strong over-the-counter medication which may dry up the mucous. For the same reason, do not be tempted by a warm glass of brandy; while you may feel warm, alcohol actually dehydrates you and slows down the healing process. The common cold is quite infectious, so you may want to keep your distance from friends and loved ones are a few days. If you are prone to frequent colds, you are advised to get regular flu shots. This is because the common cold can leave you vulnerable to serious respiratory infections, including the H1N1 influenza virus, commonly known as swine flu.

answered by M W

McCormick's sea salt or any other table salt worth its weight, for that matter is not really advised as a remedy for colds simply because of the presence of sodium chloride's dehydrating properties. And the last thing you need during a sniffle is to get further dehydrated. What's best advised, though, is plenty of warm or tepid water during such times that will help in hydrating your body. Also a hearty broth of chicken or vegetable soup can do wonders for your nose and taste buds. These and other warm fluid intakes are a good help during common colds. Try to keep away from heavy protein rich meats and foods and heavy oily or fried stuff.

A good herbal tea made from fresh or dried ginger during colds fights off the disease due to ginger's antiviral attributes. Bring to boil a quart of fresh water and take it off the fire once it's boiled. Add to this a heaped spoon of fresh ginger or 1/2 teaspoon of dried ginger and cover the vessel. Let the tea infuse for as long as 15 minutes. Once it has cooled down, sip this herbal tea throughout the day. It will provide you that much needed recourse and bring down those sniffles and sneezes.

answered by C B