So, you've come down with the flu and want to know how to get rid of the flu fast. Fair enough, who wouldn't? And while there is some temptation to point out the ways in which you could have avoided it, we'll resist and just jump to the chase.
Naturally (so to speak) many people's thoughts upon coming down with the flu turn to the pharmaceutical options. There are various over the counter options and of course you can get a prescription for your M.D. I'm no physician and would never dream of trying to waylay you in such an approach. If that's your choice it is probably a good idea to go all in and be a good compliant patient.
There is though, particularly as related to the flu, something that you might want to consider. In recent years the research of medical anthropologists is revealing that that terrible death toll we often hear about in the flu pandemic of 1918 was at least greatly aggravated by medical misjudgment. Apparently, the treatment for this virulent flu became widely recommended as including mega doses of aspirin. It now appears that such over prescribing contributed significantly to the death toll, as the high doses of aspirin caused stomach bleeding. Such stomach-bleeding entailed wounds that allowed the virus to infect patients' blood. This often led to rapid death.
We're not saying that you should therefore only use natural remedies, but it is a thought to consider. Such physicians were doing their best under their existing state of knowledge, but when using potent pharmaceuticals, small mistakes can have big consequences. So, what else might you try?
If some of these suggestions sound a bit on the down-home side, don't be put off. Just because your mother or grandmother gave you the same advice doesn't mean it's not good advice. They did know a thing or two. First on the list, cheesy as it sounds, is the solid advice to get lots of sleep and drink plenty of liquids. Water is top of the list for best fluids to drink. Another important measure, not widely enough shared as it should be, is the need to keep clean. Warm showers are great both for providing symptom relief, such as soothing your aching muscles and clearing up bronchial passageways, but also for the benefit of reducing contagion. If you get everyone else in the house sick, who's going to make your chicken soup?
No one much enjoys a fever, but you should remember you have it for a good reason. Unless the body temperature gets up to 103 degrees, which can become dangerous, don't interfere to bring it down. Your fever is your body's immune system battling the flu. Suppressing the fever is just a unilateral disarming of your immune system in its battle to protect your health. That wouldn't seem smart. Humans wouldn't have survived this long without evolving an effective means of flu resistance. Don't cramp its ability to do its job!
Some other good ideas include the inhaling of the essence of essential oils. This offers much appreciated relief. Pour yourself a steaming hot sink of water and mix in the ingredients. Then you can drape a towel over your head. This allows you to capture the full effects of the essences. Breathe it in deeply. Here are some good options to go with for mixing into your steaming hot sink of water: add a couple teaspoons of freshly chopped ginger, eucalyptus or menthol. As you'd like to know which one works best for you, it is wise to try each one separately, taking note of the affects you experience.
And don't forget the great benefits of vitamins : both A and C is recommended for fighting flu. Micellized A is best and C will be most effective and powerful if food sourced. If though ascorbic acid is all you have, much better than nothing -- go for it. Vitamin D3 is great, too. Though flu season doesn't always lend itself to it, getting your D from sunlight exposure is considered best.
And don't forget about drinking warm liquids. They are very soothing. Keep away of course from coffee and mulled wine. Tea is highly recommended. Green tea in particular demonstrates some effectiveness in reducing down time with the flu.
So, there's a bunch of ideas to get you started. Hope some of this works to help you figure out how to get rid of the flu fast. Check us out for further suggestions, including on how to get rid of stomach flu fast, coming soon.
Naturally (so to speak) many people's thoughts upon coming down with the flu turn to the pharmaceutical options. There are various over the counter options and of course you can get a prescription for your M.D. I'm no physician and would never dream of trying to waylay you in such an approach. If that's your choice it is probably a good idea to go all in and be a good compliant patient.
There is though, particularly as related to the flu, something that you might want to consider. In recent years the research of medical anthropologists is revealing that that terrible death toll we often hear about in the flu pandemic of 1918 was at least greatly aggravated by medical misjudgment. Apparently, the treatment for this virulent flu became widely recommended as including mega doses of aspirin. It now appears that such over prescribing contributed significantly to the death toll, as the high doses of aspirin caused stomach bleeding. Such stomach-bleeding entailed wounds that allowed the virus to infect patients' blood. This often led to rapid death.
We're not saying that you should therefore only use natural remedies, but it is a thought to consider. Such physicians were doing their best under their existing state of knowledge, but when using potent pharmaceuticals, small mistakes can have big consequences. So, what else might you try?
If some of these suggestions sound a bit on the down-home side, don't be put off. Just because your mother or grandmother gave you the same advice doesn't mean it's not good advice. They did know a thing or two. First on the list, cheesy as it sounds, is the solid advice to get lots of sleep and drink plenty of liquids. Water is top of the list for best fluids to drink. Another important measure, not widely enough shared as it should be, is the need to keep clean. Warm showers are great both for providing symptom relief, such as soothing your aching muscles and clearing up bronchial passageways, but also for the benefit of reducing contagion. If you get everyone else in the house sick, who's going to make your chicken soup?
No one much enjoys a fever, but you should remember you have it for a good reason. Unless the body temperature gets up to 103 degrees, which can become dangerous, don't interfere to bring it down. Your fever is your body's immune system battling the flu. Suppressing the fever is just a unilateral disarming of your immune system in its battle to protect your health. That wouldn't seem smart. Humans wouldn't have survived this long without evolving an effective means of flu resistance. Don't cramp its ability to do its job!
Some other good ideas include the inhaling of the essence of essential oils. This offers much appreciated relief. Pour yourself a steaming hot sink of water and mix in the ingredients. Then you can drape a towel over your head. This allows you to capture the full effects of the essences. Breathe it in deeply. Here are some good options to go with for mixing into your steaming hot sink of water: add a couple teaspoons of freshly chopped ginger, eucalyptus or menthol. As you'd like to know which one works best for you, it is wise to try each one separately, taking note of the affects you experience.
And don't forget the great benefits of vitamins : both A and C is recommended for fighting flu. Micellized A is best and C will be most effective and powerful if food sourced. If though ascorbic acid is all you have, much better than nothing -- go for it. Vitamin D3 is great, too. Though flu season doesn't always lend itself to it, getting your D from sunlight exposure is considered best.
And don't forget about drinking warm liquids. They are very soothing. Keep away of course from coffee and mulled wine. Tea is highly recommended. Green tea in particular demonstrates some effectiveness in reducing down time with the flu.
So, there's a bunch of ideas to get you started. Hope some of this works to help you figure out how to get rid of the flu fast. Check us out for further suggestions, including on how to get rid of stomach flu fast, coming soon.
About the Author:
Be sure to follow Tosh Caliberni for the latest scoop on fast medicine-free relief at the blog: How to Get Rid of the Flu Fast . Also his piece on the 3 Top Ways to Get Rid of a Headache without Medicine is a great relief to headache sufferers.
