Every Pinoy household has its own unique or tried-and-tested remedy for the common colds. Some of these comfort food and drinks have been passed down from generation to generation, with a promise to provide some sort of relief for the symptoms of colds.
Though these comfort food provide temporary relief, take note that they do not stop the virus completely. You still need a tried-and-tested medicine like Neozep to stop common colds in its tracks.
Here are some comfort food and drinks that Filipinos like to eat.
Herbal Tea
(Source: Twitter)
At some point, our lolas and nanays have definitely recommended herbal tea to help relieve symptoms of colds. They might have used ingredients such as oregano, lagundi, or sambong1, which they have chopped and boiled in water.
While drinking herbal tea provides a feeling of comfort, the method of preparation can be troublesome and it only provides temporary relief. It’s a good thing that the 10mg Phenylephrine HCl in Neozep acts as a decongestant that helps widen the nasal passage, so you can breathe easy for good.
Hot Porridge or Soup
(Source: https://twitter.com/dyeyprilemeri/status/852329380982382592)
Many Pinoys consider the traditional Filipino staples lugaw or arroz caldo as comfort food during times of sickness. Some people warn against having milk or dairy products in your food like sopas. They say it’s because it may thicken the mucus, however this is not true at all2. Despite this, do you know what really lessens mucus? Chlorphenamine Maleate. This ingredient can be found in Neozep, which effectively decreases mucus production and stops sneezing.
Ice Cream or Cold Drinks
(Source: https://twitter.com/easyluck22/status/929344230144622592)
Because of the burning sensation in the throat that one feels during the nasty colds and cough, there are those who turn to cold drinks and sweets to soothe their throats. While there are no studies3 stating that iced treats can worsen the symptoms of colds, they can only provide temporary relief by cooling the affected area. The best way to cure a sore throat is to take a medicine with antihistamine properties to stop postnasal drop of the mucus causing itchy sore throat – something that Neozep has!
Spicy Food
(Source: https://twitter.com/roxiecmc/status/926003516220383233)
Other people turn to spicy food, saying the heat makes it easier to release sipon or mucus. However, the chemicals in spicy food actually further irritate our mucus membranes, making our colds worse5. A better way to decrease mucus production is to take an antihistamine or medicine with Chlorphenamine Maleate, an active ingredient in Neozep.
Coffee
(Source: https://twitter.com/rhaigalay/status/886605264085860352)
Because most people feel tired when having colds, they turn to coffee. What they don’t know is that coffee is making their condition worse by dehydrating them6. For body aches, Neozep acts as a paracetamol which relieve head aches and pain.
Ginger + Citrus + Honey Combination
(Source: https://twitter.com/beckonsss/status/928334398138867712)
Because of the decongestant properties of ginger, our nanays or yayas have always paired it with other potent yet natural ingredients such as citrus or honey. Calamansi is high in Vitamin C and honey has antibacterial properties that is said to draw out water from inflamed parts of the body4.
A lot of people use these ingredients as a decongestant and to stop body aches... but it could still take time to work. If you want something that works fast, it is recommended that you still take medicine like Neozep. The 500mg Paracetamol ingredient in Neozep is an Analgesic and Antipyretic that relieves headaches, pains, and fever.
(Source: https://twitter.com/hanaBananaCue/status/933914984777637888)
Of course, we must all bear in mind that these food and drinks only provide temporary comfort. A hug from your loved ones also does wonders but to experience total relief or that “yakap ng kumpletong ginhawa”, we must also take the proper medicine. And one of the medicines that is most recognized by Filipinos everywhere is none other than Neozep that has been a hosehold brand and remedy for more than 60 years now.
Neozep should be taken every six hours, it can complement our home remedies to alleviate colds and accompanying symptoms. With Neozep, you can finally be free from those troublesome colds and all its symptoms.
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1 ABS-CBN News (2011). Home Remedies for Cough and Colds.
2 Mayo Clinic Common Colds Expert Answers to Phlegm (2016).
