I was on Facebook the other day and a friend posted a status update, which went something like – “Aah! I hate this flu! I feel like I am dying!” Sure, I laughed hard, until I remembered just how accurately my own reaction to the last time I caught a bug had just been described!
For all its bothersome commonness, the common cold and flu sure aren’t being taken seriously by the pharmaceutical world; in fact there is absolutely no cure in sight!
So, what can you do next time your nose starts to feel stuffy? Let’s take a look…
What Causes Common Cold and Flu?
Common cold is caused by a class of viruses called – Rhinoviruses. These invade the cell lining of your nose and start to reproduce sporadically.
Your body reacts by increasing mucus secretion and opening up the blood vessels via inflammation. This is what causes you to feel like you are having a clogged throat and a runny nose. It can take anywhere from a week to a month for your immune system to remove the foreign intruder from your body.
Also, you don’t catch a cold because of cold weather. As people tend to huddle together when it’s cold outside, the risk of viruses passing from one person to the other increases, hence the name.
The flu on the other hand, while presenting similar symptoms, is actually cause by Influenza Type A, B and C class of viruses.
Simple Ways to Tackle Cold or Flu
As there is no way to cure either the common cold or the flu, the best solution is prevention. Maintaining distance from a carrier when you spot one, washing your hands regularly and ensuring that you are consuming generous amounts of vitamin C to ramp up your immune system can help you remain safe.
In the event you do develop symptoms; there are certain steps you can take to ease them. The idea here is that while we cannot destroy the bug that causes such ungodly anguish, we can alter the environment around it so that it slowly dies out.
- Consume Hot Fluids: As many Rhinoviruses thrive in cold weather, turning up the heat on them can help curtail their growth. Besides, hot servings of chicken soup or tea can also loosen up the mucus in your throat and make it easier for your body to expel it.
- Drink Copious Amounts of Water: As your body produces mucus to deal with the infection, it uses up its water supply which can lead to dehydration. Also, constant intake of water can make the mucus more fluid and less troubling.
- Sneeze as Often as You Can: Your body tries to expel the virus along with the mucus that accumulates, so sneezing and coughing more often will help!
- Gargle with Warm Saline Water: Mix a teaspoon of salt in warm water and gargle with it 2-3 times a day, especially if you have a sore throat. This will help ease the pain.
- Limit Your Contact: Rhinoviruses and Influenza viruses spread from one person to another, so when you are a carrier, don’t expose other people to the pathogen you are carrying.
Feel like you are coming down with a cold? Don’t wait! The sooner you act the quicker you can defeat that troublesome bug. We offer Flu Kits for Adults and Children that use tried and tested natural remedies for common cold and Influenza infections. Order yours today!
