How To Survive The Flu Season
The flu season is upon us, and while this is taken for granted by most, it seriously shouldn’t. A simple cold could mature into pneumonia and sometimes may be severe enough to cause death. Yes, we went there, but for good reason; it’s not only easy to get infected during this season, but it’s also vital that such infections remain as minimal as possible since it’s very contagious. Whether you are already under the weather, feeling symptoms or peachy as a bird, it’s important to know the vital and necessary precautions to take when sick with the flu. Especially since there’s really no cure for colds and flu, they are simple prevention tips as well as helpful tips that should help throughout the sickness and convalescence period. Here are a few vital tips that should help you get through this season, and feeling better in no time.
1. Take Preventive Measures
First, let’s talk about how to avoid getting the flu in the first place because prevention is better than cure right? Getting a few simple things done beforehand may increase your chances of staying safe throughout the flu season. The first step is to get a flu shot, this may not totally eliminate the chances of contracting the flu, but it will reduce the symptoms and make you feel less sick. There’s a small chance that you’d still get the flu, but it’s better to take the shot and improve the chances of staying ‘mucus-free’ throughout the season.
This next tip may sound cliché, but it can’t be underrated; wash your hands with soap as regularly as possible. A nice portable hand sanitizer would equally do you good this season. Keeping the hands clean will rid them of infectious germs and bacteria that could be on many public surfaces from ATM’s to office doors or the elevator buttons.
In addition to that, try as much as possible to get the appropriate amount of sleep, and if possible exercise as often as you can. This will help to boost your immune system, making it less susceptible to common infectious and communicable ( airborne/contact ) diseases. Eat healthily, keep warm, take multivitamins, use a disinfectant spray and every other thing you know how to do, it just might help.
2. Stay At Home And Rest
Once you notice evident symptoms of a cold, it’s probably time to call in sick at work, school or your local business. The best way to recover from a cold is to have as much rest as you can afford, giving your system the best chance at recuperation. It’s important to stay away from public places, as well as family members at this time. Flu is highly contagious, and being close to your loved ones or colleagues would only be doing them more harm than good.
3. Drink A Lot Of Water
Drinking a lot of water during this period will keep you hydrated and help to thin out thick/accumulated mucus that can easily be coughed or spit out. You want to get as much of that mucus out, that would even make sleeping and breathing easier. Plus letting all that mucus build up in the chest could lead to an infection. It doesn’t even have to be water, drinking healthy fluids like fruit juices, warm tea, hot broths, and soup will equally keep the body hydrated.
4. Watch Out For Fevers And Body Aches
The amazing thing about the body is how hard it works overtime to restore health and vitality when sickness comes knocking. Unfortunately, just like an overworked engine, it’s quite probable you’ll get a fever due to how much work the body is putting in to fight off the flu. Increased temperature can be treated with OTC medications like acetaminophen, ibuprofen or naproxen. Be careful not to take too much of these medications because of the long term effects it has on the liver.
5. Have A Warm Steamy Bath
If you feel like your nose is a little blocked and find it hard to breathe through, here’s a little trick/remedy that should help. Close all the doors and windows in the bathroom, turn on the shower and let it run; make sure the water is hot, hot hot. Don’t get in the shower, just let the water steam up the bathroom. If possible, drop some menthol in the tub or shower so the steam has that minty, relieving fragrance. Sit away from the tub/shower and let the steam work its magic. If you can, visit sauna.
6. Treat Coughs And Catarrh Symptoms
As mentioned before, coughing out liquid mucus will help get rid of the congestion that may be plaguing the chest. Luckily, there are medications that can be taken to reduce the pain or discomfort that comes with coughing like itchy throats. There’s also the benefit of the induced sleepiness the most cough syrups bring, at least for those that are finding it difficult to get more snoozes. For children that are younger than four, it’s best to give them a lot of fluids, love, and care, and wait for the flu to run its course. It’s not advisable to administer expectorants to children under the age of four.
7. Get Medical Attention
After resting, taking the necessary medications and staying warm and hydrated, it’s best to seek immediate medical attention if things still go south. If you notice shaky chills, an extremely high fever or cough out thick, yellow or green mucus, it’s time to pay the hospital a little needed visit. We don’t mean to scare you, but as mentioned earlier, some colds can develop into pneumonia, which is a bit more complicated to manage. Get checked as soon as possible just to make sure.
This is not the time to be a ‘man’ and prove that your strong and invincible, once the cold hits, it’s best to follow these easy steps to help minimize symptoms and speed up recovery. Remember, the flu is contagious, this is not the time to charm the ladies, kiss your kids goodnight or get it on with your wife. Try as much as possible to ‘quarantine’ yourself through the healing and convalescence period until the symptoms are fully cleared. The winter may be upon us, and the cold threatening to cause trouble, but with these few precautionary and preventive measures, you can weather through this flu season.
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