Ep - I - Zoo - Tics is one of the slang terms around my house for “Coughing, sore throat, sneezing, watering eyes, head ache or pressure feeling and general all over feeling of illness.” Along with those symptoms you can have general “crumpies” which well, we all know what that is.
** First line of defense **
The best way to keep from feeling this way is, well, not to contract a cold or the flu to start with. But, as we all know and realize, this is not always possible. Sometimes you are just going to be exposed to something like this no matter how careful you are.
I would like to offer you a few things to keep in mind as the cold and flu season starts in the area of the world I live in, and maybe the area you live in as well.
1. Always, always, always wash your hands after going to the restroom, whether or not you actually use the bathroom, just touching the door knob is enough to load you up with a few dozen if not hundred of different germs. So wash your hands with *warm* soapy water, making sure to clean under fingernails and around them thoroughly because germs love those little creases. My little girl washes her hands and hums a song such as Happy Birthday, stopping when she has finished her song. This way she washes them long enough to thoroughly clean them.
2. Do not touch your face, eyes, mouth area or nose until you know you have washed your hands well. Lets say you washed your hands, but then used them to open the bathroom door to exit the bathroom and picked up a germ or three. Then, you touch one of these areas of your face and that brings it right to the place for it to enter your body. (A way to avoid picking up the germs from the bathroom door is to take a paper towel or some clean toilet tissue and wrap it around the door knob to open the door with, then dispose of it.)
3. Money is nasty. Just think for a second where money usually lives. If you are a non smoker, and your car has an ask tray, then odds are that you have spare change tossed into the ash tray of your car. You keep money in your wallet, which, most men keep where? Well, you get the point. The point is, money is full of germs. And those germs could be flu or cold germs. So always wash your hands after handling money.
4. Do take great care of your physical body. Of course well all know this, we all know to eat plenty of fresh veggies and fruits, however, it is especially important before flu and cold season comes to town so that your body will be built up to better handle these things. And get plenty of clear liquids and rest.
** Okay, Okay, all this is nice, but, achoo, sniff, I already have it. Now what?**
Okay, well, here is the part that can differ from area to area. I have always subscribed to the “clear liquids, rest, green tea, hot lemonade and zinc.” Zinc can come in lozenges and can actually shorten your illness, plus, well, most of the lozenges do not taste half bad, but make sure to read the instructions on how to use them properly if not, you can be getting into trouble.
Hot lemonade can be made from regular instant lemonade mixes such as country time or some other brand. The only difference is, you make it with hot water instead of the recommended cold. It can be all natural, (which I prefer), and you have no limits on the amounts you can drink because there are no actual drugs in the mix. So drink up!
The next thing is to relax. Try to relax while you are sick, and think positive. As my Mother has always told me, “This too shall pass”.
Another thing I find very effective during times of congestion is to take a steam bath. I do this by choosing a bathroom that is small, and turning on the hot water in the shower. Do Not get in the shower, but rather sit outside of the shower stall or curtain and breath in the steam. This helps to clear mucous. If this just is not possible, or desirable, (because your entire body gets steamed during this process), then you can always boil a pot of water on the stove and then pour it into a bowl. Take a light cloth and cover your head and the bowl, making sure not to burn yourself, breath in the steam from the water. To boost the effects, try adding a few drops of eucalyptus oil to the water. Eucalyptus is wonderful for opening up those stuff sinuses. You can also add some of the eucalyptus oil to a pot of simmering water to help cleanse the air of any irritants.
Also, keep a close eye on your diet during this time. Your body needs all the essential vitamins and minerals so it can better battle the illness that is at hand. However, watch for any dairy foods, as they increase mucus production and can only aggravate the situation. So until your mucus production has slowed back to normal, I would recommend you avoid dairy products.
Take care of yourself, and try to focus on the sunnier days ahead.