Even if you’ve marked off everything on your wedding checklist to ensure your big day is absolutely perfect, some things are just out of your control––like getting sick on your wedding day. But waking up not feeling your best doesn’t mean you have to redo your wedding day timeline. We’ve consulted various health experts for their top tricks to stop an ailment in its tracks—or at least long enough for you to say, “I do.” Check out these doctor-approved remedies for almost every illness or injury you may encounter on your special day.
How to Treat Common Illnesses and Injuries
Don’t let these common conditions get you down. Check out these expert-backed treatments for your wedding day sickness.
A Flu or Fever
The best defense for the flu is a good offense: proper prewedding self-care to ensure you’re healthy. “If you wake up with the flu on your wedding day, I am truly sorry—it’s a terrible illness that makes you feel absolutely awful,” Shireen Khan, MD and an emergency medicine specialist, says. You can’t treat the flu with antibiotics, and medications may decrease its length by a few hours—not helpful on your wedding day. Your best bet is to alternate between acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin) to keep the fever down. For food, Amy Gannon Gibbs, MEd, RD, LD, Health and Wellness Program Director at Cleveland Clinic, recommends the BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. These foods have nutritional value but are easy on the stomach, plus, they’re most likely on hand at home or in a hotel. Chicken soup is another comforting meal that’ll warm you up and sneaks some protein and veggies into your system
A Cold
Don’t let something as common as a cold get in the way of your special day. While you can’t make the sniffles disappear instantly, there are ways to treat your symptoms and feel good enough to dance the night away. Khan’s favorite medicine combination is pseudoephedrine (ask your pharmacist to get you Sudafed from behind the counter) and oxymetazoline nasal spray (Afrin). Always talk to your doctor before taking these medications if you have high blood pressure or heart problems.
In terms of diet, Gibbs stresses hydration. Water is always a great choice, but you can go for coconut water or Pedialyte if you’re feeling extra parched. (Gibbs says Gatorade is too sugary for your needs). Have some fruit on hand? Try your own hydration recipe. Summer Sanders, a certified raw food chef and author of Raw and Radiant, goes for a blend of natural antibiotics of papaya, turmeric, ginger, coconut water and raw honey.
We know your wedding might have you feeling extra chatty. But if you have a cold on your wedding day, your voice might be waning or you’re battling a cough. Try to rest your vocals as much as possible before your “I dos.” Start the morning with a saltwater gargle using one tablespoon of salt dissolved in eight ounces of water. Drinking ginger tea with honey can also soothe your throat. If you want to try medication, Khan suggests Benzonatate for the cough (Tessalon Perles) or guaifenesin for mucus (Mucinex). Just don’t use any combination of medications that can make you sleepy.
