Airborne

There are few things more annoying than a head cold. From the minute that scratch in your throat or itchy sinus feeling starts you know it’ll only be a matter of time before you find yourself walking around in a dense Sudafed-filled, coughing, stuffy nose fog.

I’m sure by now most everyone has heard of the magic that is Airborne. For anyone late to the show, Airborne is a flavored effervescent that works to boost your immune system through a combination of vitamins, herbal extracts, and nutrients. The idea is to drink the stuff down before you hop on an airplane or head into a school or office, warding off those nasty cold germs before they strike.

Frankly, I don’t always remember to use Airborne before I take a flight or jump onto a train. This past week, however, when the dreaded head-cold made another appearance in my own life – at exactly 3pm on a Thursday – I chugged a glass of the bubbly orange drink the minute I got home from the office. For the next several days, I fixed myself a glass of Airborne each morning when I woke up. Despite the fact that the cold had already struck a boost of vitamins never hurt anyone I reasoned. And while I can never take a vitamin pill on an empty stomach (oh, the nausea) this glass of nutrients and vitamins left me feeling fine, even when it was the first thing I put in my system each morning. Perhaps it’s all a placebo effect, but I remain convinced my cold would’ve wiped me out much more if I hadn’t powered up with Airborne each morning.

Average Price: $6.49

Rating: 4 out of 5

Neti-Pot Sinus Cleanse

About a week ago I had one of the nastiest colds I’ve had in a long while. It wasn’t the flu, it wasn’t strep throat. Instead it was this awful sinus cold, one that caused me to morph into a mouth breathing, stuffy nosed, unable to focus on anything, frustrated girl. Head colds might be just about the worst type of cold in my opinion. They don’t really knock you out completely but you can’t quite function normally either. Desperate to be rid of this cold, I popped over the counter medicine, drank tea, and ate soup morning, noon, and night to no avail.

A friend suggested I try the neti-pot.

"The what?" I asked, skeptical.

"Neti-pot. It’s kind of gross, it’s kind of weird, but I’m telling you it works," she promised.

More than desperate to feel normal again, I knew I’d try anything. Off to CVS I went, where I purchased my very own neti-pot kit. My friend warned me it was best to use the neti-pot in the shower, so home I went and into the shower I climbed. The neti-pot looks like a small watering can. You fill it with a saline solution that comes in the kit and add lukewarm water. Here comes the odd part. You stand (in the shower preferably, my friend was right about that) and insert the tip of the neti-pot into one nostril. Then you tilt your head to the side, which forces the contents of the neti-pot through your nose and out the other uncovered nostril.

Yeah, kinda gross.

It’s a weird sensation, no doubt. You are breathing through your mouth while emptying the neti-pot and the entire ordeal makes you feel like a little kid who is getting ocean water up their nose. I wouldn’t describe the treatment as fun, exactly, but oh my heavens, was it worth it. The saline solution pushes all that gunk out of your nose and helps clear your sinuses faster than any over the counter pill ever has.

After stepping out of the shower I suddenly realized I was able to breathe more easily than I had in a week. I wasn’t miraculously cured and I still did the neti-pot treatment three more times but I am convinced this little gem helped me recover far faster than I would have otherwise.

In fact, I’m ready to take a stab at neti-pot evangelism. Color me converted.

Average Price: $13.00/starter kit
Rating: 5 out of 5!

Burt's Bees Aloe & Linden Flower After Sun Soother

So, we may or may not have decided to lay out in the sunshine, on a lake, during the sunniest part of the day without any sunblock, for a few hours.

Not our brightest moment, no.

Thankfully, on a quest for aloe at our local pharmacy, we – lobster colored skin and all – noticed Burt’s Bees Aloe & Linden Flower After Sun Soother. What a miracle in a bottle. Less sticky than aloe gel, but more soothing than just any lotion, we slathered this pleasant, clean smelling stuff from burnt shoulders to rosy red toes and instantly felt better.

Next time we plan on bringing along our SPF, but from now on we’ll also throw in the After Sun Soother. Never hurts to have some back-up after all.

Average Price: $10/bottle

Rating: 5 out of 5!

Opti-Free Express ReWetting Drops

After doing the “glasses on, glasses off, glasses on, glasses off” shuffle for several years, the time finally came when it made sense to get our eyeballs fitted for contact lenses. As we slowly but surely adjust to life as a contact lens wearer, we have come to know and love Opti-Free Express Rewetting Drops.

Perhaps all contact rewetting solutions are created equal, but this product has saved us from dry, itchy, oh my stars these contacts are driving me nutty, eye irritation many a late night after too many hours wearing the lenses. The solution is pricey, but the relief it can provide is priceless.

If you are a contact lens wearer you know what we’re talking about.

If you’re not? Well, just thank the eyesight gods you don’t have to deal with any of this.

In the meantime, we’ll just be over here, putting more rewetting drops into our eyes, thankful this little tube of relief was invented.

Rating: 4 out of 5
Average price: $7.49/0.33oz

Vicks Vapor Inhaler

One of the worst things is when a cold knocks you off your feet. Of course, we've all been there. You're achy, exhausted, can't breathe clearly, and you definitely can't think straight. Unfortunantly, one of these types of colds took hold of me over the past weekend and forced me into bed for a good three days straight. On a bit of a whim, after trying Sudafed and Tylenol to no avail, I gave Vicks Vapor Inhaler a shot.

What a God-send. You'll feel silly inhaling (and yes, unlike a certain former President I'll admit to inhaling this one!) from the plastic tube but it really helps clear up your sinuses. Suddenly, you'll find yourself able to breathe again!

I'm not completely out of the sick bay yet, but I'm getting there and carrying this little gem of a tube around with me over the past week to use every few hours has certainly helped. It'll never be as good as Mom's TLC and home-made chicken soup of course, but it's a step in the right - healthy - direction.

Average Price: $4.29/tube
Rating: 5 out of 5 from the sick bay!