It's that time of year when some of us will either duck out of work or duck our miserable faces behind our computers, hoping and praying we don't become known to the whole office as a Joe or Josie Grossie.
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Invariably, beyond the tried and true prescription of rest and chicken soup, some will search for a miracle remedy that'll take that horrible, terrible, no good cold away.
6 really weird cold remedies people swear by:
(Note: Please talk to your doctor before trying any remedy you find here or elsewhere online)
Rub Vicks VapoRub on your feet
There are a handful of weird suggestions out there when it comes to your feet, but this one takes the cake: slathering your soles with Vicks before putting on your socks.
SEE ALSO: What you need to know about the flu this season
What you need to know about the flu this season
No one quite knows how this is supposed to work, but a lot of people seem to think it works. Snopes reports this is popular with alternative health practitioners.
The actual Vicks directions never mention anything about feet, so it might be best to follow the label and rub the salve on your chest and throat.
Fill a sock with WHAT?
From the UK to the U.S., there are two remedies we kept coming across that seemed pretty strange: wrapping a sock with either onions or chicken fat around your neck.
In the former case, people swear by the onion-filled stocking for sore throats; the chicken fat, meantime, allegedly wards off sinus problems, according to Brownielocks.
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Stretch Your Dollar
Hit the bottle, take a shot
Everyone and their mom seems to have a favorite Hot Toddy recipe for cold and flu season, including this one sent in by viewer Ysabel Hopkins:
While these shots might provide a little relief in quieting your cough and helping you sleep, many doctors have told WebMD that alcohol can dehydrate you, making congestion worse and only delaying a full recovery.
Chinese Lizard Soup
Freeze-dried lizard is commonplace in many Chinese kitchens, and there is quite a love affair between its people and this spicy broth and protein combination. Other people cook them in rice wine and eat them by themselves, according to Travel + Leisure.
Savor the flavor of wonton soup
Viewer Craig Dennis says Chinese carryout in bed might just do the trick when you're sick, especially a bowl of wonton soup.
While we didn't see much literature on how the Chinese restaurant staple might help, there is plenty of research to vouch for chicken soup.
Angela Stenger, N.D., a naturopathic physician from Oceanside, Calif., says chicken soup is "hydrotherapy for the throat," and that inhaling the steamy broth increases blood flow and helps fight infections.
Raw egg and honey
Also known as "Gogol Mogol," this is another popular suggestion for those battling a cough.
The Russian tradition is also popular with alternative health practitioners, but it sounds kind of dangerous. I mean, the FDA says we can't eat raw cookie dough because of raw egg, right?
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