[Blarg]

Staying very warm, even uncomfortably warm, has always done wonders for me. It helps me stop shivering by artificially heating me, so my body doesn't have to put out that kind of energy expenditure. When it's already down and fighting hard just to beat the cold or flu, it doesn't help to have to divert energy to making me shiver and raising my temperature. Your body has got to get the energy from somewhere to do all its tasks, and I figure I free up the energy it would have used to keep me warm when I keep myself warm.

I do this for hours on end, though, like all day and all night, not just for an hour at a shot. You're not going to sweat out your cold or flu.

But when I've tried to take some of the load off my body by taking charge of generating the heat needed to help bake the germs like a fever does, or just help maintain normal temperature, it has really made a difference. Often I've beaten a cold or flu in a day or two this way. Sometimes it has really felt like I was actually feeling it break once or twice, and suddenly knew when it was over.

Anyway, bundling up heavy is sweaty and messy and maybe a little stuffy, but it works very well for me.