Yes, even in the tropics, you can catch a cold. When it comes to medical care, cruisers have to be more self-reliant than when we lived on land and could run off to a nearby doctor or a pharmacy.  On Golden Glow, we’re fans of prevention and natural remedies to complement traditional medicine that we use if necessary.

The surest place to be exposed to sickness germs (other than a hospital) is on an airplane, and I’ve been on many airplanes recently on a trip back to the states. Ironically, I’ve been spending a lot of time with doctors. I just gave a speech to a large audience of doctors at a medical conference, and I’ve also been meeting with other physician clients about various projects such as books, consulting relationships, and the like.

At one evening meeting that took place at a physician client’s home, I started sneezing and my voice grew raspy. I had come down with a common cold.

My client’s mother, also a medical doctor, who is a genius with home-made remedies, made me a special drink. I kept drinking it through the evening and by the next morning, I couldn’t believe how much better I felt – and so much faster than the normal time to get better from a cold of “if you treat a cold, you’ll get better in a week; if you do nothing, you’ll be better in seven days.”  I had to share the recipe!

Crush ground ginger (can be fresh or powdered), cumin seeds, coriander berries, fresh ground black pepper and raw palm sugar together, add to a large pot of water and boil. Cool the mixture to the temperature at which you can drink it, and then strain and drink as much of the liquid as you can. I was also drinking a delicious lemon-ginger-ade drink so perhaps the fresh lemon (vitamin C) contributed to my getting better fast. And of course a good night’s sleep.

Another great cold remedy is this mushroom supplement called My Community from Host Defense
http://amzn.to/1ScHcKG
Host Defense Wellness Formula

And last but definitely not least, at the very first sign of a cold, if we start sucking on these zinc lozenges every three hours or so, our cold can be nipped in the bud, or never get as bad as it might have without the zinc.

If you do catch a cold, I hope these natural remedies, together with get well wishes, will help you feel better soon.