5 Things To Do When You Are Down With Flu
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You wake up in the morning feeling really lousy. The roof of your mouth hurts and your head throbs. Chances are you may be coming down with a bout of flu.
Flu usually begins with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose and finally, cough. To me, the start of it is by far the worse. I really hate the soreness and headache that precedes yet another bout of flu. Influenza (the long name for flu) is caused by a viral infection and antibiotics work on bacteria, not on viruses, so don't pester your doctor for antibiotics if he does not give those to you. Sometimes, antibiotics may be given when you have flu to kill bacteria in case of a secondary infection, but to really get rid of flu, your body has to fight the virus.
Follow your doctor's advice and take the medicine as prescribed. On top of that, here are 5 things you can do to help your body recover.
1. Sleep
When you sleep, your body repairs itself and fights off the invisible invaders more effectively. When you are down with flu, you need plenty of rest. So sleep early atnight. If possible, stay in bed and nap as much as possible throughout the day.
2. Fluids
You need plenty of fluids when you are down with a cold. Drink lots of water, soup and juices to replenish the fluids your body loses during this period.
3. Chicken Soup
Chicken soup is a traditional flu remedy. It makes sense though. Chicken contains zinc which boosts your body's immunity, so eat the chicken as well as drink the soup.
4. Vitamin C
Lack of vitamin C can lead to bleeding gums, loose teeth and a lower immune system. Some naturopaths may recommemend huge doses of vitamin C with echinacea, like 10g vitamin C on the 1st 2 days and 1g or 2g per day after that. Vitamin C is water soluble, so the excess would probably be flushed out of your body in your urine. Long term excessive doses of vitamin C isn't that safe as it could lead to kidney stones amongst other things, so everything in moderation. You can get vitamin C in your diet, through fresh fruit and vegetables. Take them raw as much as possible as vitamin C is destroyed by heat so much of the nutrient can be lost through the cooking process. Or you could take the recommended doses of vitamin supplements everyday to ensure your body gets the necessary nutrients.
5. Eucalyptus oil
Does your congested nose and sinuses bother you? Clear them by adding a few drops of eucalyptus oil to a basin of hot water. Inhale the vapour. It will help clear the congestion and provide you some relief.
More health and beauty tips at the author's website, www.cosmetics-online.org
