Fever and congestion and laryngitis, oh my!

Hey gang. Sorry I've been MIA this week. I've actually got the flu. And although I've been dragging myself to work each day, I feel like I've been hit by a mack truck. It started over the weekend (of course!) with the fever and chills and has since transformed into wicked congestion and laryngitis. Yes, indeed - I've literally been using hand signals to communicate with co-workers today. And even better? I'm hopping on a plane tomorrow for a long weekend out-o-town...I apologize to my seatmates on the plane in advance.
Ugh. What a way to spend a vacation - speechless and sniffly - even if said vacation involves time spent with family in a cold weather environment, rather than chillaxing on a sunny beach with a Mai Tai in hand. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....oops, sorry about that. I started to daydream about my perfect getaway.
Anyhoodle, to try to nip this bug in the bud so to speak, I've been downing quarts of OJ and bowls of chicken or veggie soup all week, along with a ridiculous amount of tea, water, vitamins, cold meds and emergen-C. Good times. Tonight, when I get home, I'm whipping up some hot tea with cayenne pepper, honey, lemon juice, garlic and ginger. Sounds horrendous - but I'm told it's actually an effective remedy. Whatever works!
Since the flu seems to be knocking people out left and right these days (my office is filled with sneezing, hacking people) I figured I'd pass along a few preventative measures designed to keep the flu bug at bay, along with some feel-good recipes.

1. Eat a well-balanced and healthy diet - complete with several portions of fresh fruit and vegetables every day - to keep your immune system strong.
2. Regularly take a multivitamin or antioxidant supplement such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E, etc.
3. Drink plenty of fluids, including eight to 10 glasses of water each day. Herbal teas can also help.
4. Reduce the amount of sugar you eat.
5. Exercise regularly, whether it's a brisk walk around the block at lunch or an hour of cardio kickbox at the gym. Movement does your body good.
6. Sanitize your office/work area, kitchen and bathroom. Bacteria tends to blossom in these environments, helping generate the viruses that cause the common cold and flu. If you clean a lot of dishes by hand, stick the sponge in the microwave for a bit or toss it in the dishwasher to help cut down on germs.
7. Use a humidifier. It can help thin the mucus in the nasal membranes that causes stuffiness or postnasal drip.
8. All those handshakes, hugs and kisses that you regularly dole out may be friendly gestures, but you could also be spreading - or receiving - bacteria. Also try to avoid grasping too many doorknobs, escalator handles, subway rails and elevator buttons - all of which are teeming with germs.
9. Get plenty of sleep.
10. Wash your hands frequently!

While none of these are a silver bullet when it comes to prevention, they can certainly help reduce the chances of catching or spreading the flu.

Now, for those in the same miserable sick boat as me, here are a few meals designed to ease a sore, tickling throat or stuffy head.

Pho Bo soup (aka Vietnamese beef and noodle soup)


Tuscan tomato soup


Plum tomato cabbage soup


Chicken soup (aka, Jewish penicillin)

Tastes like used mouthwash? Hook me up!

"If you are inquiring about your cough mixture tasting like expired milk, trash-bag leakage, a post-pedicure foot bath, a state fair porta-potty, decomposing meat fat, monkey sweat, used denture soak, New Jersey, or hippie-festival runoff, please hang up. Your cough will be gone shortly." Radio spot for Buckley's Cough Syrup

When I first heard about the Buckley's advertising campaign a few weeks ago, I laughed out loud. It's not often a company will openly compare the taste of their product to perspiration, spring break hot tub water and used mouthwash. Talk about a courageous approach. This is the straight-up truth, folks, no apologies given. And I love it!

In Canada, Buckley's is already as familiar to the sniffling, hacking masses as Robitussin is here. But as they expand into the U.S. market, they are quickly garnering local attention thanks to their catchy slogan, "It tastes awful. And it works."

In addition to the radio spots, short TV ads feature blindfolded customers conducting tastes tests between Buckley's and a public restroom puddle, trash bag leakage and pig tongue scrapings, to name a few.

This method certainly seems to be working, at least in terms of the buzz factor. After seeing the ads, a friend - who was battling a severe cough and cold - bought a bottle of the medicine the other day. I can't even begin to explain the look of absolute disgust on her face when she guzzled a dose of it down. She claims it was the worst stuff she'd ever tasted. I did get a whiff and let me tell ya, it smells heinous. Think battery acid. I guess it's not too shocking seeing as how the product's ingredients include camphor, menthol and pine needle oil.

Despite the vile taste, though, my friend is hanging onto the bottle because she was feeling worlds better by the next day.

Interestingly enough, Buckley's is now running a contest on MySpace asking viewers to submit pictures - or videos - that capture their expression upon tasting the syrup. The winner gets a trip to Alaska. If only we'd had a camera, my friend could have easily competed for the grand prize!

Seriously, though, I applaude Buckley's for their campaign. They could have easily gone the predictable route and pretended the taste wasn't an issue or loaded it down with sugar to appease customers. Instead, they turned the gross factor into a humorous - and apparently effective - campaign hook.

Although I like tasty treats, I prefer to be in good health. So next time I wind up with a sore threat, hacking cough or runny nose, I know what I'll be purchasing. After all, 'tis the cold season.

For giggles, here are a few more Buckley slogans from years past, along with a YouTube clip featuring one of the faux taste tests.

Made with oil of pine needles. What did you expect it to taste like?
People swear by it. And at it.
Feared by more people than ever before.
Your cough won't know what hit it, neither will you.
Our largest bottle is 200 ml. Anything larger would be cruel.
Not new. Not improved.
How bad does it taste? That depends. How bad is your cough?
I have recurring nightmares in which someone gives me a taste of my own medicine.
Since 1919, we've been leaving Canadians with a bad taste in their mouths.