What if by the time you read this it is already too late: you have that uncomfortable sore throat and you're starting to feel hot and cold along with nasty body aches and pains?
The first thing to do is get some rest! Pushing on with your daily routine is plain silly and you're only going to lengthen the recovery period. Try and cancel as many tasks as you possibly can and go to bed early.
Secondly, you should take heed in your body's signals. Losing your appetite during this phase is natural as your body can no longer handle the food during an acute illness, so let it be as food will be of little benefit to you right now.
The best thing to do is to fast on water alone - not cold water but warm water. If you find it difficult to go on a water-only diet, you can try sipping on some fresh orange juice throughout the day. Drinking certain types of tea can help ease some of the symptoms and help you feel more comfortable, such as angelica, elderflower or fresh ginger teas.
Several herbs and nutrients have been found to shorten the duration of upper respiratory tract infections when taken early in the course of an illness, like Echinacea purpurea. You may find several medicines that contain these ingredients in capsule form at your local pharmacy. It's a good idea to keep a spare bottle of it for the next time you feel the flu symptoms coming, as the earlier you take it the more effect it has and the shorter the period of illness you will have.
If you're particularly prone to catching colds and flus, you should look at improving your diet and lifestyle. This means a healthy diet high in vegetables, fruits as well as other minimally processed plant food. This plus moderate exercise and lots of rest will ensure you have a strong immune system that will help you repel the future viruses.
One last thing that most people neglect is the potency of vitamin D. Have you ever wondered why people rarely get flues in summer and why most cases of illnesses occur in the autumn and winter seasons?
Several studies have shown that our immune system weakens in the winter because there is much less exposure to sunlight compared to the summer and spring months. Thus, you should try and get out of the office during lunch breaks to try and get as much sun as you can if you want to promote a healthy lifestyle.
