Dec
26
Happy Christmas (or whichever holiday applies) to everyone! We are in recovery from what was a totally magical Christmas, with a houseful of family, friends, food and general holiday chaos. It was all I wanted for Christmas (okay, that and to be rid of stupid cancer once and for all) and I loved every moment of it. Wasn’t even slowed down by my second round of gemcitabine on Wednesday – until I woke up this morning with a sore throat. Foiled again! Apparently, while I was celebrating and having a merry old time, my errant white blood cells were dropping like snowflakes. Oh well, at least I’m fever-free. And I had such a great day yesterday that the sore throat seems a small price to pay. This too shall pass, and until it does I’m making good use of pajamas, couches, duvets and leftovers. The art of sloth; I am a master.
Right now, everyone I know is sick — work colleagues, friends, my brother, my mom… I’ve been fighting the onset of a cold for weeks now, and lately, it feels like the cold is winning. (Noooo!)
Lying in bed yesterday, I starting thinking about how expensive it can be to get sick. Already, I’ve gone through an entire box of tissues, plus there are the pills to clear your sinuses, cough syrup to suppress your hacking, throat lozenges for the soreness, the meds that help you sleep at night, the meds that won’t make you drowsy during the day, hand sanitizer to stop the germs from spreading, not to mention, extra-pricey remedies like Cold-FX… And what about the days you miss from work?
So, for those of you who are feeling yucky, here are my favourite cheapie cold remedies…
Oct
10
Just in time, as our November issue — and the jam-packed colds & flus story, written by Jen O’Brien, in the health section — hits newsstands, I come down with a nasty, nasty cold. I’ve been home, in bed, for most of the week (heeding the wise advice of our colds/flus etiquette experts), drinking lots of tea, trying to get a few consecutive hours of sleep and keeping tabs on my email. (Back at the office, we’re in full-blown production for our Holiday issue.)
I’d like to be well enough by Sunday to at least remain vertical (rather than horizontal) for large stretches of time — I can’t miss Thanksgiving dinner at my great uncle’s farm. It’s an annual tradition and the one time each year when 35 to 40 of my family members gather together in one place. In the meantime, here’s a roundup of links (from me, in bed) to keep you informed over the long weekend:
Where are you most likely to get sick? Which foods are full of immunity-boosting properies? Find out by taking the quiz. (And then head over to the immunity-boosting meal plan, to help fortify your defenses.)
Plastic chemical interferes with chemotherapy
Some more bad news about bisphenol A, found in hard plastic water bottles: It may interfere with chemotherapy in breast cancer treatment, according to a new study. (And recently, in the New York Times: Vitamin C may also interfere with cancer treatment.)
Is the cold, dry weather already getting to your lips? Here’s an ingredient you should avoid when buying lip balm. (And for the rest of your body: the 25 best things you can do for your skin.)
The low(er) calorie Thanksgiving
Gobble guilt-free with these eating tips for the “most gut-busting time of year.”
Daily rituals to keep you balanced
Number three is about giving thanks, a good ritual for this weekend. Have a lovely, safe Thanksgiving.
