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March 2016 | Read this issue and more at www.healthandwellnessmagazine.net |
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Natural Remedies for the Cold and Flu
Learn how to avoid getting sick this season, and what to do if you do get sick
By Angela S. Hoover, Staff Writer
In the winter of 2015, nearly 18,000 Americans went to the hospital
for influenza. How can we lower that number for 2016? The best remedy for the cold or flu is to not even get it in the first place. Here are some
precautions to help you stay healthy.
Keep things you touch germ-free.
Germs lurk on doorknobs, light switches, keyboards and cell phone
screens. A 2013 analysis found some smartphones harbor more bacteria
than a toilet seat. Clean your screen once a day with a soft lint-free cloth.
Wash your hands.
A virus can live outside the body for up to eight hours. Wash your
hands frequently with warm water or use a hand sanitizer.
Get plenty of rest.
The sleep you get before you catch the flu really matters. One study
found those who sleep six or more hours a night for a week are better at
fighting off the common cold than those who sleep less.
Monitor outbreaks.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention created an app called
FluView for following flu outbreaks. The app uses information from
Vitamin D in fatty fish,
like Salmon, boosts the
immune system.
more than 3,000 healthcare providers nationwide and tracks possible
cases of flu throughout the country.
Sadly, an ounce of prevention and all the precautions don’t always
save you from succumbing to a cold or the flu. Here’s what to do if you
get sick after all.
Drink plenty of fluids.
Fluids help thin mucus and keep the membranes moist. This helps
congested sinuses and chests, reducing the need to cough. Water, tea and
broths are the best fluids to have when you’re ill. If you’re feeling particularly weak, the natural sugars in fruit juices can give you a boost of
energy. Avoid coffee and alcohol because both are dehydrating.
Stay warm.
It’s equally important to keep warm inside your body as it is to keep
your outside warm with clothes and blankets. Warm liquids such as
chicken noodle soup, other broths and hot teas (especially ginger and
black pepper) are your best bets. Hot compresses or heating pads not
only keep you warm and alleviate body aches, but applying heat to congested areas – the sinus, cheeks, temples, etc. – can help thin and loosen
the mucus and get it moving in the right direction … out of you!
Increase vitamin D.
Adults with the lowest levels of
vitamin D were 36 percent likelier
to report having an upper respiratory infection than those with the
highest levels, according to a study
in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Research has shown vitamin D plays
a key role in immune function. Fill
up on vitamin D by eating more fatty
fish such as tuna and salmon.
The best remedy
for the cold or flu
is to not even get
it in the first place.