Flu is a common viral illness that usually occurs in dry and winter seasons. Although it takes about a week to recover, the symptoms can be managed with simple home remedies. While not able to cure the illness, these remedies can help alleviate the symptoms. If you experience coughing along with the flu, it is called an upper respiratory tract infection. Many cost-effective and easy-to-follow home remedies can be used to manage flu symptoms.
Symptoms of flu:
- Runny nose and eyes
- Generalized Body aches and joint pains
- Mild fever and chills
- Cough with or without phlegm
- Sneezing: due to irritation in the nose.
- Headache: can be caused by nasal congestion and dehydration
- Blocked sinuses or nasal congestion due to nasal inflammation
Medications for flu: you can use painkillers for body aches and antipyretics for fever. Other symptoms can be managed by simple home remedies, such as the following:
Boiled Eggs:
Eggs are very effective in combating the flu. Use half-boiled eggs, apply crushed black pepper over them, and take them before bedtime. Furthermore, do not drink water after that for at least 3-4 hours. The flu vaccine is based on egg protein.
Herbal tea: Make a herbal tea containing illachi(cardamom), darchini( cinnamon), and loung (cloves), and some leaves of green tea.
Method of preparation of herbal tea: Take one cup of water, bring it to a boil, and put 4 pieces of cardamom, 4-5 pieces of cinnamon, 4-5 pieces of cloves, and some leaves of green tea. Make it boil till the color of the tea becomes dark brown. Strain it and put 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper powder in it, and drink before it becomes cool. Repeat it 3-4 times a day. These will relieve symptoms of the flu and give a soothing effect.
Ginger tea: Ginger is thought to be an effective antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. However, drinking ginger tea with honey in it decreases inflammation, which leads to clearance of the airway.
Use steam inhalation: Take steam inhalation by adding a small amount of Vicks to it. It liquefies the mucus in the airway and eases the breathing pattern.
How to take steam inhalation:
Pour around ½ to one cup of water in a kettle to make it boil, and when it starts evaporating, put a little amount of Vicks in it. Cover yourself with the help of a towel, inhale deeply the vapors, and cover yourself with a blanket. Do not expose yourself to a cool environment after steam inhalation.
Take excessive fluids:
Take fluids in your diet, such as soup, juices, and soupy noodles. Do not take cold water; take normal room temperature water. This will prevent dehydration, which can be caused due to insensible losses due to fever and runny nose, or sneezing.
Take maximum bed Rest:
Take bed rest for a fast recovery from the flu. It will help to come in contact with an outside dry or cold environment.
Gargling salt water:
Do gargles of warm salty water; this will ease the sore throat.
Honey for flu:
Honey is considered to be the best remedy for the flu. It works as an antibiotic according to ancient perceptions. So, use honey in warm water, or you can mix it with the tea as mentioned above. It also works by smoothing your throat and decreasing inflammation.
Vitamin C:
Vitamin C cannot cure the flu, but it strengthens our immune system, which can further prevent viral infections and also shorten the duration of our sickness. Moreover, our body cannot synthesize vitamin C; it has to take it in food. Vitamin C-containing fruits citrus fruits, such as oranges and orange juice, strawberries, black pepper, and potatoes, also contain a good amount of vitamin C.
Who can get the flu very easily?
Almost all people can get the flu at any time, but patients with weak immune systems get it very quickly. Moreover, patients on immunotherapy and chemotherapy, and patients going under bone marrow or other organ transplants, are at high risk of getting respiratory tract infections very soon. Moreover, children and old age people are also at greater risk of getting it.
As flu is a viral illness and everybody can be a victim of it. People with weak immune systems, such as cancer patients and patients who underwent /underwent transplant (bone marrow transplant, liver or kidney transplant), are more susceptible to it. Moreover, home remedies are very effective in relieving flu symptoms.
Valuable information.