Sinus Rinse:

When I’m sick I feel it’s particularly important to try to fight congestion and wash the yucky stuff out of my nose.  I double up the concentration on the NeilMed (2 salt packets instead of 1 per bottle) and I try to do it 4+ times per day.  Legend has it that in some parts of India, sinus rinsing is as common as toothbrushing in North America.  Can anyone confirm this?  Most drugstores also sell pre-mixed, pressurized cans of salt water nasal spray, and you can just give a quick squirt whenever you need it.  The congestion relief is tremendous, and it’s drug-free. 

Sesame Oil Nose Drops:

I discovered this product in early 2008.  I had a sinus infection for a week, and within a day of using these drops I cleared it up.  Five stars!  In the future I’m going to try using this on planes to help me stay healthy in spite of the dry, germy air.

Airborne:

Nothing beats the original.  Wal-borne doesn’t taste quite right.  And as for the recent flavor proliferation, well, the pink grapefruit flavor is decent, but the hot apple cider version is difficult to choke down.  I drink this stuff a couple times a day when I’m worried about getting sick.

Zicam:

Apparently Zinc, the main ingredient in Zicam, is good for fighting off colds.  This is a homeopathic formula that you swab into the lower part of your nostril.  It’s clinically proven to work if you take it at the onset of symptoms, and The FDA says it’s safe, though the company has been bothered by what looks like a predatory lawsuit.

Sovereign Silver:

Another thing that may be worth a try if it feels like you’ve got a sinus bug.  I’ve heard that some people get relief from this, but the last cold I had persisted for a week until I switched to the nose oil drops mentioned above.

Prescription Drugs:

When all else fails, you’ll probably end up on antibiotics.  You might as well not overpay for them!  For many drugs (particularly for generics), Costco’s pharmacy is significantly cheaper than convenience pharmacies like Walgreens or Rite Aid (see page 7 for price survey).  They sell many drugs at less than copay!  Best of all, you *don’t* need to be a Costco member to use Costco’s pharmacy (it’s the law).  Cash-paying customers know Costco is the real deal: less than 5% of prescriptions filled at Walgreen’s are by cash-payers, versus 50% at Costco.

Purell:

I wrote this stuff off as purely for hypochondriacs until I went to a hospital and noticed the dispensers in every hallway.  I still don’t use it on a daily basis, but once you are sick you might as well use Purell religiously in order to avoid passing your germs to others! 

A Good Doctor:

Last but not least...  My definition of a good doctor is one that will help you get to the root of the problem & strengthen your immune system.  If you feel like you’re getting sick more often than you should, there are many potential underlying causes - food allergies, adrenals exhausted, thyroid or hormones out of balance, etc.   The search for knowledge never ends!