Combating Cold and Flu Season
DISCLAIMER: This article is for educational and informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.
While the seasons of fall and winter bring tidings and joy, they can also bring colds. What do you do when you get sick? Over-the-counter medicine is helpful, but doesn’t have to be your first line of defense. Food is medicine too. Your diet, especially when you’re under the weather, has a direct impact on your recovery. Cold/flu season is not going anywhere so learning to help your body recover when a cold or the flu hits you or those in your home is critical. Hydration such as hot teas and broth-based soups as well as rest are necessary weapons in the battle against viral infections.
Hydration
Hot tea with honey, preferably local raw honey in your area, can help to soothe a sore throat while hydrating the body. Hot broth or stock-based soup such as chicken noodle, miso, or wonton fit the bill here providing nutrients and preventing dehydration.
Bonus: Vitamin C can help boost your immune system, and the ideal way to incorporate this vitamin in your arsenal is via whole foods like strawberries, pineapples and oranges. And if you like spicy/heat, then adding some jalapenos to your soups or broths is a great way to add extra flavor.
Rest
This is an essential defense against a cold or flu virus. Yes, it is hard to rest when it seems like you have a laundry list of tasks to complete on a daily basis, but the fastest way to get better is to allow your body temporary respite and sleep so that your immune system operates at its peak efficiency (Hersh, 2020). Think of this process as updating your iPhone OS. The phone should be plugged in and charging overnight to minimize disruption or delay to the update process. When you get sick and try to keep going, you only disrupt your body’s ‘update’ process. Illness is inconvenient but if ignored the sickness may become worse and require more than rest and fluids to recover.
Over-the-Counter Medication (OTC)
Taking medicine is an optional support against cold/flu. There are OTC medications that do work effectively at providing temporary symptoms and/or pain relief. Choosing OTC medication requires paying attention to the symptoms you are experiencing as well as knowing what medications you can and cannot take.
References:
Hersh, E. H. (2020). Sleeping When Sick: Can You Sleep too Much. Healthline. Retrieved November 29, 2021, from https://www.healthline.com/health/sleeping-when-sick
Brittany is a self-professed foodie and gladly tells everyone that “Good food is her unofficial love language!” She lives in an Atlanta suburb with her husband and 2 daughters.
