The flu is a
viral infection that strikes the entire body with a vengeance.
The misery starts suddenly with chills and fever and spirals into more unpleasant symptoms that will take you out of commission: a sore throat, dry cough, stuffy or runny nose, headache (especially behind the eyes), severe muscle aches and pains, weakness, backache, and loss of appetite. Some people even experience pain and stiffness in the joints.
Flu is a highly
contagious illness, spread by droplets from the respiratory tract of an
infected person. These droplets can be airborne, such as those released after a
person coughs or sneezes or they can be transferred via an infected person's
hands.
This information is solely for informational purposes only. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Any action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.
1. Get Plenty of
Rest
Plan sleeping, and otherwise taking it easy for a few
days. This shouldn't be hard to do considering fatigue is one of the main
symptoms, so you won't feel like doing much other than lounging in bed or on
the couch, anyway. Consider it a good excuse to take a needed break from the
daily stresses of life. And if you absolutely must continue to work, at least
get to bed earlier than usual and try to go into the office a little later in
the morning.
2. Take Aspirin,
Acetaminophen, or Ibuprofen
The flu is often accompanied by a high fever that can
range from 102 to 106 degrees Fahrenheit. You can count on a dozy of a
headache, too. Lowering the fever will help prevent dehydration and will cut
down on the severe, shaking chills associated with fever. On the other hand,
since a fever may actually help your body fight the bug, you may want to try to
let the fever run its course if it's safe for you to do so. Aspirin and
ibuprofen are generally better at easing aches and pains; acetaminophen is most
effective at fighting fever.
3. Drink, Drink,
Drink
This doesn't mean alcoholic beverages, of course. But
drinking plenty of any other nonalcoholic, decaffeinated liquid (caffeine and
alcohol both act as diuretics, which actually increase fluid loss) will help
keep you hydrated and will also thin mucous secretions. The flu can cause a
loss of appetite, but patients often find warm, salty broth agreeable. If
you're not eating much, juices are a good choice, too, since they provide
nutrients you may be missing.
4. Humidify Your
Home in winter
Ever wonder why the flu tends to strike in the colder
months? Part of the reason is your furnace. Artificial heat lowers humidity,
creating an environment that allows the influenza virus to thrive. (Colder
outside air also pushes people together in confined indoor spaces, making it
easier for the flu bug to spread). Adding some moisture to the air in your home
during the winter with a warm- or cool-mist humidifier may not only help
prevent the spread of flu, it may also make you feel more comfortable if you do
get it.
5. Suppress a Dry
Cough
For a dry, hacking cough that's keeping you from getting
the rest you need, you can reach for over-the-counter relief. When shopping for
a cough remedy, look for products that contain dextromethorphan, a cough
suppressant.
6. Encourage a
"Productive" Cough
A cough that brings up mucus, on the other hand, is
considered productive and should generally not be suppressed with cough
medicines. Drinking fluids will help bring up the mucus of a productive cough
and will ease the cough a little as well.
7. Broth
Canned broths whether its beef, chicken, or vegetable,
will keep you hydrated and help liquefy any mucous secretions. Broth is easy to
keep down, even when you have no appetite, and will provide at least some
nutrients.
8. Honey
A hacking cough can keep you and every other household
member up all night. Keep the peace with honey. Honey has long been used in
traditional Chinese medicine for coughs. It's a simple enough recipe: Mix 1
tablespoon honeys into 1 cup hot water, stir well, and enjoy. Honey acts as a
natural expectorant, promoting the flow of mucus. Squeeze some lemon in if you
want a little tartness.
9. Mustard
Not to discredit dear old Grandma, but she didn't come up
with the mustard plaster, although by the way she touts its virtues, you might
believe so. This ancient remedy for the flu, chest colds, and bronchitis dates
back to the Ancient Romans, who early on understood the healing properties of
mustard. Mustard is loaded with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties,
many of which can be inhaled through the vapors.
Impress Grandma by making a mustard plaster with 1
tablespoon dry mustard and 2 to 4 tablespoons flour. Mix both with 1 egg white
(optional) and warm water to form a paste. Next, find a clean handkerchief or
square of muslin large enough to cover the upper chest. Smear the cloth the
same way you'd smear mustard on a sandwich, then plop another cloth over it.
Dab olive oil on the patient's skin and apply the mustard plaster to the upper
chest. Check yourself or the patient every few minutes since mustard plaster
can burn. Remove after a few minutes. Afterward, wash off any traces of mustard
from the skin.
10. Tea
A cup of hot tea is just another way to take your fluids,
which are so essential when you have the flu. Just be sure to choose
decaffeinated varieties. Caffeine is a mild diuretic, which is
counterproductive when you have the flu, and you certainly don't want to be
awakened with the need to use the bathroom when you need your rest!
11. Juice
Any flavor or kind will do. Just drink lots of juice both
to keep yourself hydrated and to give yourself some extra vitamins.
12. Lemon
The lovely lemon may cause a puckered face if eaten raw,
but in a hot beverage, lemons will have you smiling. Hot lemonade has been used
as a flu remedy since Roman times and is still highly regarded in the folk
traditions of New England. Lemons, being highly acidic, help make mucous
membranes distasteful to bacteria and viruses. Lemon oil, which gives the juice
its fragrance, is like a wonder drug containing antibacterial, antiviral, anti fungal, and anti-inflammatory constituents. The oil also acts as an expectorant.
To make this flu-fighting fruit drink, place 1 chopped lemon -- skin, pulp, and
all -- into 1 cup boiling water. While the lemon steeps for 5 minutes, inhale
the steam. Strain, add honey (to taste), and enjoy. Drink hot lemonade three to
four times a day throughout your illness.
13. Pepper
Pepper is an irritant, yet this annoying characteristic
is a plus for those suffering from coughs with thick mucus. The irritating
property of pepper stimulates circulation and the flow of mucus. Place 1
teaspoon black pepper into a cup and sweeten things up with the addition of 1
tablespoon honey. Fill with boiling water, let steep for 10 to 15 minutes,
stir, and sip.
14. Thyme
It's time to try thyme when the mucous membranes are
stuffed, the head aches, and the body is hot with fever. Wonderfully fragrant,
thyme delights the senses (if you can smell when you're sick) and works as a
powerful expectorant and antiseptic, thanks to its constituent oil, thymol. By
cupping your hands around a mug of thyme tea and breathing in the steam, the
thymol sets to work through your upper respiratory tract, loosening mucus and
inhibiting bacteria from settling down to stay. Make thyme tea in a snap by
adding 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves to 1 cup boiling water. Let steep for five
minutes while inhaling the steam. Strain the tea, sweeten with honey (to
taste), and slowly sip.
Next time you're coming down with the flu bug; give one
of these home remedies a try. You could surprise your friends and co-workers by
nipping it in the bud!
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