Flu is seasonal they say but it seems that these days flu is all over the place, especially Swine Flu. The symptoms of all kinds of flus are basically the same. They start off with pain in the body, cold and cough followed by high fever. One can also experience vomiting, nausea, itching in throat, extreme loss of appetite and other related symptoms when suffering from flu.
Nevertheless, there are various home remedies that one can try out to prevent and treat flu. These are simple and effective methods that will boost your immunity and prevent the recurrence of flu too.
Here Are Some Of Them:
1. Maintain Good Hygiene Habits
First thing’s first, prevention of flu is only possible with the right hygiene habits. This means frequent washing of hands, bathing with a disinfectant soap and using a sanitiser in case you don’t have access to soap or water. Doing so kills the virus that is carrying flu in the first place and prevent its further spread.
2. Have A Balanced Diet
It is essential to consume foods that aid in boosting immunity while providing you with a complete, balanced meal. So think of carbs, proteins, good fats and healthy cholesterol in a balance. Have lots of vegetables and fresh fruits rather than opting for processed meals. Have brown rice and pasta rather than white options. 5 portions of vegetables and fruits should be a part of your daily meal.
3. Lots of Fluids
Fluids are a great way to prevent and treat all kinds of flus. Be it juices or hot soups, both provide you with a good deal of nutrients, while being easy to digest. Chicken soup is your best bet here as it fights off virus and other problems like blocked nose and cough too. Have orange, grapes and berries juices as they are high on anti-viral ingredients and helps in cleansing the system too.
4. Do Lots of Gargle
Salt water gargle with some turmeric is a great way to soothe an itchy and irritable throat. It is also important to do gargling to prevent the infection in the throat from getting worse, because it can only worsen the flu. Take a glass of warm water and then add salt and turmeric to do gargles at least twice a day.
5. Steam With Essential Oils
Essential oils help to clear blocked and stuffy noses and when the steam is inhaled, it goes right down the nasal passage to other parts of the body too. This helps in curbing the flu too. Essential oils like Eucalyptus and tea tree are highly suggested here. You can use a regular electric steamer or take very hot water in a vessel and cover your face and head with a towel. Inhale this steam to get relief.
6. Herbal Teas
There are plenty of herbal teas that you can consume to get respite from the symptoms of flu. These include tea made with ginger, honey and basil leaves. The anti-viral properties of these ingredients fight off all symptoms of flu including cold, cough and fever. You can also have chamomile tea to too get some sleep and relaxation as resting heals the body faster.
7. Cold Compress or Shower
If the fever is getting high, then you can try a cold compress or keeping cold, wet cloth on your forehead. This helps the body temperature to not increase much. You can add a few drops of cologne to the same for a soothing effect. In some cases, taking a shower and wetting your hair is recommended to bring down fever. But if you are shivering or feeling very cold, then avoid the same.
Make sure that you get plenty of rest and don’t strain yourself or workout during this period. Grabbing a lot of naps will only help your body heal faster.
