Why Getting a Cold Might Actually Be a Good Thing
By Michael Dangovian
March 7, 2017
Nobody wants a cold. They’re miserable. But, what if they also happen to be GOOD FOR YOU?
Colds are terrible. Fever, chills, that cough that won’t ever go away, every available channel in your head clogged up with mucus… it’s awful. No one wants them. And yet, we all get them.
We discuss what foods to eat to prevent and treat a cold here, but I think it’s important to look at the common cold in a rather uncommon way.
That is… that getting a cold might actually benefit your long term health.
Here’s what I mean:
Reason 1: Immunity Boost
Getting sick is part of life. It’s also part of our growth.
As babies, when we’re not kept in completely sterile environments, we get illnesses, most of which are at worst, annoying to have. Very few of these are life-threatening.
And getting sick means that our body will then begin to build up immunities in our body. This is the whole idea behind vaccines: Introduce a little bit of the weakened thing you want to defend against, allow the body to regain its balance via its own amazing means, and then— poof!—you’re inoculated.
That doesn’t stop just because you get older. The microbial world around us is in constant evolution—some of which is our fault (i.e., antibiotic overuse), but most of which is just the natural progression of life on this planet. So when we get sick, our immune systems are sort of on one-the-job training… they’re taking care of what needs taken care of right now, but also build those muscles for the more serious stuff your might encounter in the future.
So, whatever colds don’t kill us only make us stronger.
The second way that colds are beneficial to our health isn’t as obvious as the first, but it’s not just related, it’s also just as important.
That is, a cold is a great excuse to give up dairy for good.
Reason 2: Kicking the (Milk) Bucket
So, as I mentioned [INSERT LINK last time], one of the worst things you can consume while you have a cold is dairy. It further inflames the system and clogs you up, increasing pressure and discomfort on top of all the symptoms you already have.
So, if you are a dairy consumer, when you feel a cold coming on, give it up.
You’ll get well much sooner.
And then, when you’re well…. just keep going.
After not having dairy for a bit, just keep on not having it. It’s easier said than done, of course, but you’ve gotten a good head start already.
You’ll be surprised by how much better you feel in a surprisingly short period of time. Most (Western) people don’t know what it’s like not to have dairy. Which also means that most people don’t know what it feels like to feel good.
Kick dairy, even for a short time, and you’ll get what I’m saying.
No one wants a cold. But if you recognize it as both a blessing (immunity boost) and an opportunity (taking back your health for good), then the next time you feel one coming on, hopefully you’ll see it in a whole new light.
And that’s how transformation happens. We see the world anew, as it really is, and we adjust.
We stop choosing death on a daily basis, and instead run towards life.
