COLDS/FLU CURES & PREVENTION

The best way to beat colds and flu’s are to avoid them in the first place. You can do this by making it difficult for the germs to gain entry, and by enhancing your body’s natural defenses. This is not so difficult to do when you know your enemy and understand your body’s natural defense mechanisms. Here are some important points to understand: 

Colds and flu’s are caused by viruses
Antibiotics do not affect viruses
Cold and flu germs outside a host body usually die in three to seven days
Most colds and flu’s are caught by placing your infected hands to your eyes or nose
You can infect others a day before your own symptoms appear
Incubation period is usually about 3 days, but can range anywhere from 1 to 4 days
While rarely fatal on its own, the flu can lead to secondary infections like pneumonia, a serious disease which can be fatal
Most cold and flu medications only mask symptoms; you remain infectious to others

There are thousands of strains of influenza viruses
The only cure for colds and flu’s is your body’s immune system
We can either aid or inhibit the body’s immune system by things we eat, drink or do

Let’s make sure we mean the same thing when we use words like “cold” and “flu.” Here are some definitions:

Influenza: Any of various contagious viral respiratory illnesses characterized by: high fever, headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and muscle aches. Complications can include bacterial pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes.

Cold: Any of various contagious respiratory illnesses caused by rhinoviruses and parainfluenza viruses (HPIVs), characterized by inflammation of the mucous membranes, fever, chills, coughing and sneezing. Colds share most symptoms with the flu, but are usually milder and result in fewer complications. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose.

Gastroenteritis (aka: Stomach Flu, 24-hour flu, intestinal flu, food poisoning): Inflammation of the stomach and small and large intestines, characterized by nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Although many people use the term “stomach flu” to describe gastroenteritis, it is not caused by influenza viruses; it can be caused by many other viruses (viral gastroenteritis), by bacteria, or even parasites. While vomiting, diarrhea, and being nauseous or “sick to your stomach” can sometimes be related to the flu – particularly in children – these problems are rarely the main symptoms of influenza. The flu is a respiratory disease and not a stomach or intestinal disease.† We are not referring to gastroenteritis when we talk about fighting the flu and the discussion herein does not apply to it.

Infectious disease is currently one of the top five causes of death in the United States. 80% of all infectious disease could be eliminated by more frequent and proper washing of the hands with soap and water. This is also the first line of defense against colds and flu’s. The first rule to avoiding infection is: Never put your hands to your eyes, nose or mouth without washing them first. The eyes are especially important as we often rub our eyes, or flick out the “sand” from our tear ducts, without thinking about it. This nearly automatic response can get us into real trouble. A good way of avoiding this is to wash the “goop” out of our eyes each time we wash our hands. Out of consideration for others, you should also wash your hands immediately after putting them in your eyes or up to your nose. If everyone did both of these things, colds and flu’s would be uncommon in our society.

Contagiousness

Colds are most contagious during the first 2 to 4 days after symptoms appear, and may be contagious for up to 3 weeks. Your can catch a cold from person-to-person contact or by breathing in virus particles spread through the air by sneezing or coughing. Touching the mouth or nose after touching skin or another surface contaminated with a rhinovirus can also spread a cold.

Prevention

Because so many viruses cause them, there isn't a vaccine that can protect against catching colds. But to help prevent them, kids should:

• try to steer clear of anyone who smokes or who has a cold. Virus particles can travel up to 12 feet through the air when someone with a cold coughs or sneezes, and secondhand smoke can make your child more likely to get sick.
• wash their hands thoroughly and frequently, especially after blowing their noses
• cover their noses and mouths when coughing or sneezing (have them sneeze or cough into a shirtsleeve, though, not their hands — this helps prevent the spread of germs)
• not use the same towels or eating utensils as someone who has a cold. They also shouldn't drink from the same glass, can, or bottle as anyone else — you never know who might be about to come down with a cold and is already spreading the virus.
• not pick up other people's used tissues

 
Regarding hand washing. Soap kills some of the germs on your hands directly, and helps to loosen those it doesn’t kill outright so they are more effectively washed off your skin. You should lather up your hands well for at least 20 seconds, then rinse-off the soap thoroughly for at least another 20 seconds. Be sure to include the areas under you nails when you wash your hands, as they are a lurking ground for germs. Lather up between your fingers, including the tops of your hands, from fingertip to wrist. Studies have shown that drying your hands is also an important step in removing germs. So at home, it is a good idea to have a separate hand towel – which is changed frequently – for someone who is sick, because germs will accumulate there. In public restrooms, using a paper towel, where available, is more effective than use of a hand dryer. Also, in public restrooms, use a paper towel to turn off water faucets and open restroom doors after washing (to keep from reinfecting your hands, or picking up new germs). [Note: Use of antibacterial soap is neither necessary nor recommended. Regular soap does the job; antibacterial soap can lead to a buildup of super-germs in your environment.] 

If someone in your household takes ill, it is wise to put up a separate hand towel in the bathroom for the healthy folks to use. This extra precaution costs nothing and just may prevent a loved one from getting sick. Remember, sick people aren’t feeling well and might not be as diligent as they should about lathering up properly. Also, as mentioned previously, it has been shown that the process of drying hands on a towel is part of the germ removing process of washing, so some germs are being transferred to the towel. This is reason enough to have a separate towel for those who are sick, and to change the towel frequently.
Why Is Hand Washing So Important?
and more herehttp://www.mypersonalhygiene.com/hand-washing-worksheets-collection/

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Try to keep sick folks out of the kitchen, and assume that things like door knobs and light switches are infected. Turn off water faucets, open doors and flip light switches with your elbows. 

Door knobs and handles. Anything commonly handled by the public, such as door knobs, elevator buttons, hand rails, etc., are suspect especially during cold and flu season. Avoid putting your hands to your face after handling these. Wash your hands frequently.

Boosting Immunity

Get plenty of sleep.

Drink more water; avoid soft drinks.

Exercise. Regular exercise is important to support general health and immune function.

Combating/Recovering from Colds and Flu’s

Okay, if you couldn’t elude the flu or a cold, what to do? With early and aggressive treatment, it is possible to limit your symptoms to a single day. But if you allow it to gain a foothold, symptoms will be more persistent. Although you may limit your symptoms to a single day and even feel good, it is important to understand that your body is still fighting off an infection; proper care is essential to preventing a “relapse.” Especially important is to get adequate sleep.

Remember to cover your face when you sneeze, and have something to sneeze into, such as a handkerchief; use your shirt sleeve if you have to. Wash your hands afterward.

Sore throats (from colds and flu’s) result from irritation by drainage of nasal fluids into your digestive tract. A simple lukewarm salt water gargle will sooth a sore throat and promote healing far better than any drugstore concoction. Pickling salt (sea salt) is preferred, but regular table salt will do. Make the water as salty as you can tolerate, without making it more salty than is comfortable. The salt will tend to sooth the inflamed tissue and promote healing. Adding a few drops of liquid GSE (Grapefruit Seed Extract) can be beneficial. For a gargle, add one drop per ounce (so about three to six drops for the average gargle preparation).

Headaches and the Head ColdAccording to a recent clinical trial, more than 60 percent of individuals with a head cold experience a headache, along with the classic runny nose, sore throat, and cough.

Fevers and Headaches:  Paracetamol pill is used to treat many conditions such as headache, muscle aches, arthritis, backache, toothaches, colds, and fevers. Buy the generic brand its the cheapest and works the same.