What to Do if you have a Cold or Flu? 10 Steps to Relieve & Heal your Cold or Flu

There is nothing quite as miserable as a Cold or Flu. You are told constantly by advertisements how you can keep on keeping with supposedly fast acting medications. But have you noticed you don’t recover any faster in fact for many people it becomes worse with major chest infections even leading often to pneumonia. So, what do you do if you have a Cold or Flu and what is wrong with these medications that are supposed to get you better faster. How can Food be your ultimate solution, how does this work and what foods will help support your recovery the best.

Consider This!

Whatever you take to recover from any illness needs to support your body in a positive way, not so as to do any further harm. “Let Food be Thy Medicine and Let Medicine be Thy Food” Hippocrates

General ingredients Found in Over the Counter Cold & Flu Medications and Side Effects: 

• Paracetamol for Pain – side effects of Paracetamol: sore throat, pain, constipation or diarrhoea, increased sweating, nausea, vomiting and the list goes on. Sounds hardly beneficial to help with symptoms.
• Dextromethorphan is a Cough Suppressant – side effects of Dextromethorphan: nausea, vomiting, increased pain, stomach cramps, confusion, headaches, dizziness. Does this sound helpful.
• Guaiphenesin is a Cough Expectorant – How weird you have a cough suppressant, then to add insult to injury a cough expectorant. Doesn’t make sense, do you think your poor body may also be confused. Side effects of Guaiphenesin: skin rashes, vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation take your pick, stomach pain and just to top it off you will probably get hives.
• Chlorpheniramine Maleate is an Anti Histamine – side effects of Chlorpheniramine Maleate: difficulty breathing as it affects the mucous within the lungs, once again the stomach cramps, diarrhoea or constipation, skin rashes, headaches and dry mouth.

So I put it to you do any of these ingredients sound like they are going to support your body in becoming well. Do you think that they may just prolong your illness, not to mention create some further health issues for you. Does this sound like a formula that you should “Soldier on With”

I will now go on to explain what a cold or flu is and much more effective and supportive treatments that you can implement to not only recover from your cold and flu, but to become well without any further health problems occurring.

What is a Cold/Flu?

Colds and flu are distinct and separate upper respiratory infections, triggered by different viruses. (Outdoor environment – drafts, wetness, temperature changes, etc. do not cause either of these illnesses.) The flu is more serious, because it can spread to the lungs, and cause severe bronchitis or pneumonia.

In the beginning stages, the symptoms of colds and flu can be similar. Both conditions begin when one or more of the over 200 hundred viruses that cause a cold or flu penetrate the body’s protective barriers. Viruses don’t breathe, digest food or eliminate, but they replicate themselves with a vengeance. Nose, eyes and mouth are usually the sites of invasion from cold viruses.

The most likely target for the flu virus is the respiratory tract. Colds and flu respond to different treatments. The following symptomatic chart can help identify your particular condition and allow you to deal with it better.

Cold Symptoms -Slow onset -Body aches – largely due to the release of interferon (an immune stimulator). -Rarely accompanied by fever and headache. -Localized symptoms such as sore throat, sinus congestion, listlessness, runny nose and sneezing. -Mild fatigue and weakness as a result of body cleansing. -Mild to moderate chest discomfort, usually with a hacking cough. -Sore or burning throat common.

Flu Symptoms –Swift and severe onset -Early and prominent prostration with flushed, hot, moist skin. Usually accompanied by high (102° -104°) fever, headache and sore eyes. General symptoms like chills, depression and body aches. -Extreme fatigue, sometimes lasting 2-3 weeks. -Acute chest discomfort, with severe hacking cough. -Sore throat occasionally.

Do You Suffer from Chronic Colds?

Although rhino-viruses are involved in the misery we know as a cold, we are constantly exposed to these organisms without them causing a cold. Your immune system health is the deciding factor in whether you “catch” a cold or not.

There seem to be almost as many drugstore cold remedies as there are colds, most of them symptom-suppressing with side effects. Since a cold is usually a cleansing condition, I feel it may be better to just let it happen so your body can start fresh, with a stronger immune system. Yet, without a doubt, it is hard to work, sleep, and be around other people with miserable cold symptoms. Traditional wisdom is effective for minimizing misery while your body gets on with its job of cleaning house.

How to Avoid Getting a Cold or Flu!

If you want to avoid getting the flu this winter, follow these 7 proven techniques for boosting your immune system, fighting off germs, and keeping your body healthy…

1. Get enough sleep. Your immune system functions much better when you get enough sleep. Most people really need about 8 hours per night for optimal health. If you’re body is fatigued, it simply won’t be able to fight off the flu virus (or any other infection) very well.
2. Exercise regularly. Exercise helps keep your immune system strong; a daily walk boosts your up immune response and gives you some fresh air. A walk puts cleansing oxygen into your lungs
3. Avoid sugar. Even small amounts of sugar can significantly impair your immune function, making you more susceptible to a flu infection. A large amount of sugar, such as the amount found in a normal can of soda, hurts your immune function for hours.
4. Drink lots of pure water. Keeping your mucous membranes well-hydrated is a key to helping them fight off viruses. Aim for about eight 8-ounce glasses per day.
5. Reduce stress. Too much stress has a highly negative impact on your overall health and, over time, it will make you much more susceptible to a flu infection. Studies show that prolonged stress is at least partially responsible for 90% of all illness and disease. Regular exercise and sufficient sleep both help reduce stress levels. Also, meditation (just taking some time out each day to stop thinking and let the mind wonder) is a proven stress-buster that is easy, enjoyable and can be used on a daily basis.
6. Wash your hands often. Also, carry a bottle of alcohol-based hand sanitizer with you and use it frequently, especially after you touch anything that others have touched recently (like doorknobs).
7. Eat immune-boosting foods on a daily basis. A healthy diet, including a few proven immune-boosting foods, is one of the best ways to avoid catching the flu. The best flu-fighting foods are: Fresh, organically grown fruits and vegetables – Brightly coloured fruits and vegetables are packed with healthy Phyto nutrients that can strengthen your immune system, lowering your susceptibility to the flu virus. Garlic – Fresh raw or lightly-cooked – Garlic has strong natural antiviral properties that can help to fight off a flu virus. Also, garlic provides a strong boost to your immune system, especially when eaten on a regular basis. The best way to take garlic for direct health support without losing any of its properties it to cut a clove into say 4 pieces, small enough to swallow, put into a cup or glass cover with boiling filtered water let steep for 15 – 30 minutes, add one lemon squeezed and some boiling filtered water and also some cold. Then drink!!
8. Green Tea – Like garlic, green tea has shown the ability to both kill viruses and to stimulate the immune system to fight off flu infections, especially when used daily. Try to drink 3-6 cups of strong green tea per day during the flu season.
9. Cayenne Pepper – Cayenne has a long list of health benefits and is believed to be a mild immune-booster. Also, cayenne contains large amounts of natural vitamin A, considered to be an important “anti-infection” nutrient

Self Help that will Boost Your Immune System

Using Food as your medicine will help you to Fully Recover from a Cold or Flu without any further Health Problems and will also support a Healthier Immune System.
A main reason that your body comes down with an illness, is that you may have been under a great deal of stress, working long hours, maybe partying too hard. So for your body to recover fully you will need to take time to Rest, Eat Healthy Foods, Keep up your fluid intake by drinking filtered water, freshly squeezed lemon drinks with grated ginger and garlic, green tea, peppermint tea, chamomile for aches and pain. 

10 Steps to Relieve & Heal your Cold or Flu

1. Rest – It is important to give your body as much support as possible, so please if you have a cold probably one to two days bed rest will have you well on the way to recovery, if you have the flu then may be a week will be needed. If symptoms persist please consult your health care professional.
2. Take ascorbate vitamin C or, 1000mg every hour, preferably in powder form with juice, throughout the day. Take zinc lozenges as needed, or propolis throat spray.
3. No smoking or alcohol (other than a little brandy and lemon). They suppress immunity. Avoid refined foods, sugar, and dairy foods. They increase production of thick mucous.
4. Eat lightly but with good nutrition. Nutrient absorption is less efficient during a cold. A vegetarian diet is best at this time so the body won’t have to work so hard at digestion. The old fashioned Chicken & Vegetable Soup is also great to boost your energy and immune system.
5. Drink plenty of liquids: 6-8 glasses daily of fresh fruit and vegetable juices, herb teas and water to help flush toxins through and out of your system.
6. Keep warm. Don’t worry about a fever unless it is prolonged or very high.
7. Take a long hot herbal bath Recover faster from your cold or flu with Julie’s Just for You cold & flu bath oil. This blend of pure essential oils to relieve those aches & pains, elevate the coughing & assist with mucous elimination
   A Pure blend of Essential oils include – Sunflower, pure essential oils include: Wintergreen, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Orange, Lemon, Cedarwood. Add just a few drops to your bath each day until symptoms subside. This blend will help to remove unwanted toxins and mucous, inactivating virus’s and bacteria from your body.
   

   

8. Stay relaxed. Let your body concentrate energy on cleaning out infection. Go to bed early, and get plenty of sleep. Most regeneration of cells occurs between midnight and 4 a.m.
9. Think positively about becoming well. Optimism is often a self-fulfilling prophecy.
10.  Clear nasal passages adding two to three drops of eucalyptus oil to a bowl, half fill with boiling water, put towel over head and bowel. Staying there for a time that is comfortable for you. You can repeat this 2 to 3 times.

Additional Resources

Julie’s Cold & Flu Chest Rub – A natural, gentle, safe effective creme to relieve congestion of chest and nose, providing relief during times of cold, flu or bronchitis
A unique blend of herbs: Elecampane, Pleurisy Root, Mullein and pure essential oils include Arnica, Clove, Camphor, Hypericum, Thyme, Lemon, Eucalyptus, Wintergreen and Calendula in a paraben chemically free lotion base.

Order your Chest Rub online Here!

Read Next: How to Build a Super Immune System

ADDITIONAL STEPS TO BUILD THE LIFE YOU WANT

Become a Community Member – A Great Place to Start Mastering your Health & your Life

Master a Life of Optimal Health, Happiness & Vitality is in essence about is about providing you with a trusted and guided path to support you with understanding the concepts and changes necessary for taking charge of your health and ultimately your life. By Becoming a Community Member this is a Great Way to Get Started!

Julie is the Designer, Curator and Author of your Membership

Join Now!