When it comes to the flu, prevention is the best medicine! Wash your hands, encourage sick co-workers to stay home, wipe down shared surfaces, get a flu shot – these are all useful ways to avoid contracting the flu or a cold. As hard as you try to keep yourself healthy, you may not able to avoid this nasty virus.
If you’re stuck at home, battling a cold or the flu, practice these simple self-care methods to help you recuperate and get back on your feet!
Drink Hot Tea
Drinking hot tea when you’re sick will help to soothe a sore throat, soothe body aches and chills, break up congestion and clear your sinuses. The New York Times has also recently reported that hot tea truly does help to treat flu and cold symptoms, so drink up!
Try Aromatherapy
The last thing you want to inhale while you’re sick is the musty scent of being sick. Help yourself feel better with aromatherapy! Scents like eucalyptus, lavender, tea tree oil, cloves and peppermint are ail therapeutic scents that calm you, soothe your nasal passages and ease the symptoms of being sick. Using a humidifier with these scents can also help with distributing antiviral and antibiotic properties through the air while you soothe your airways.
Use Honey And Lemon
Honey and lemon are a perfect combo to combat the flu! Lemon is a powerful source of Vitamin C, and honey has plenty of antibiotic and antimicrobial properties. Honey is also soothing to a sore throat! Medical News Daily recommends having plenty of hot water with honey and lemon when you’re fighting the flu. You can also add this combination to your tea!
Take A Steamy Shower Or Bath
Take care of your body aches and chills with a hot steamy bath or shower. A steamy shower or bath can also soothe your nasal passages, break up sinus congestion, and break up any congestion in your upper respiratory tract. If you’ve been spending hours (or days) in bed without a shower, a nice steamy session in the bathroom can help you feel so much better.
Hydrate
Make sure to get plenty of fluids while you’re sick! When you’re sick, you’re sweating and losing much more fluid than usual. It’s also important to get enough fluids so that you can help your body fight off infections.
Get Cozy And Comfy
There’s science based facts to the old wives tale of sweating out a cold or flu! Research shows that keeping your body warm can help kill off viruses! Get nice and comfortable in sweatshirts and sweatpants, and wrap yourself in plenty of blankets. The more comfortable you are while you’re sick, the better you’ll feel while you’re in bed!
Get Lots Of Sleep
Be sure to gets tons of rest and sleep while you’re sick! According to the Mayo Clinic, it’s important to get as much rest and sleep as possible so that your body can recuperate quickly. It may also be helpful for you to sleep upright or with your head elevated if you’re feeling congested.
Nobody wants to be stuck in bed with a nasty cold or the flu. Drinking plenty of fluids, getting rest and drinking hot teas with honey and lemon can make you feel much better and speed up the duration of your illness!
