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.
For many people the immediate go-to solution is turning to various medications, either bought over the counter or prescribed by your family physician. I'm not a physician and won't insinuate any comment on that choice or your relationship with your M.D. Should that be the path that you take it is probably advisable to follow the prescription provided.
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.
The point isn't to demonize the medical profession. And no doubt such M.D.s were doing the best they could with the information and training that they had. Still, it is worthwhile to remember that using potent pharmaceuticals always presents some level of risk: even very small mistakes can have devastating consequences. And, there are some pretty effective, drugless alternatives.
Some of the suggestions here may strike you as a corny: the homespun remedies passed down from grandma. Don't knock it, though, grandma knew a few things. Right off the top, there are the basics: get plenty of sleep and drink lots of liquids -- especially water. Another thing that too many people don't take seriously enough is to keep clean. Warm showers are a good idea. They will offer relief for your aching muscles and maybe ease bronchial congestion. Maintaining cleanliness though is also important as a means of limiting infection. Who is going to care for whom, if everyone is sick?
Fevers are no fun, but unless they start getting dangerously high, 103 being a well known benchmark, you shouldn't interfere with their course. The fever is your body's immune system fighting the illness. We humans didn't make it this far without having a pretty effective built-in flu resistance. Let it do its work!
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.
Another valuable option is the use of vitamins . Particularly useful for the flu are vitamins A and C. Micellized A is best. If ascorbic acid, for whatever reason, is your only choice for vitamin C then by all means take it, but you'll get a more potent result from food sourced C. Another valuable flu-fighting vitamin is D3. The best would be to get it through regular sunlight exposure. This may be a challenge during flu season, but if it's an option, it's the preferred one.
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.
That should get you started. We understand that when you want to know how to get rid of the flu fast, you need quick and effective relief. These ideas should go a long way in getting you that relief.
For many people the immediate go-to solution is turning to various medications, either bought over the counter or prescribed by your family physician. I'm not a physician and won't insinuate any comment on that choice or your relationship with your M.D. Should that be the path that you take it is probably advisable to follow the prescription provided.
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.
The point isn't to demonize the medical profession. And no doubt such M.D.s were doing the best they could with the information and training that they had. Still, it is worthwhile to remember that using potent pharmaceuticals always presents some level of risk: even very small mistakes can have devastating consequences. And, there are some pretty effective, drugless alternatives.
Some of the suggestions here may strike you as a corny: the homespun remedies passed down from grandma. Don't knock it, though, grandma knew a few things. Right off the top, there are the basics: get plenty of sleep and drink lots of liquids -- especially water. Another thing that too many people don't take seriously enough is to keep clean. Warm showers are a good idea. They will offer relief for your aching muscles and maybe ease bronchial congestion. Maintaining cleanliness though is also important as a means of limiting infection. Who is going to care for whom, if everyone is sick?
Fevers are no fun, but unless they start getting dangerously high, 103 being a well known benchmark, you shouldn't interfere with their course. The fever is your body's immune system fighting the illness. We humans didn't make it this far without having a pretty effective built-in flu resistance. Let it do its work!
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.
Another valuable option is the use of vitamins . Particularly useful for the flu are vitamins A and C. Micellized A is best. If ascorbic acid, for whatever reason, is your only choice for vitamin C then by all means take it, but you'll get a more potent result from food sourced C. Another valuable flu-fighting vitamin is D3. The best would be to get it through regular sunlight exposure. This may be a challenge during flu season, but if it's an option, it's the preferred one.
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.
That should get you started. We understand that when you want to know how to get rid of the flu fast, you need quick and effective relief. These ideas should go a long way in getting you that relief.
About the Author:
Be sure to follow Tosh Caliberni for all the latest news on fast drug-free relief at the site: 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.
