Tips to Stay Healthy in Cold and Flu Season

With the arrival of winter season, guarding yourself against cold and flu is the best idea, as there are no cures available for them. The common treatments prescribed to you are only to suppress symptoms and bring temporary relief. You can try out some natural ways to prevent yourself from getting infected with flu.

The following are some easy natural methods to get comforted and staying away from flu during winter –

Hot drinks

Soups and tea are most preferred drinks during winter, and this is for good reason too. The heat from these drinks gets transferred from the oesophagus to the wind pipe. This loosens up the mucus and allows you to cough out easily. More or less all hot drinks can have the effect of loosening the mucus, but certain ingredients facilitate the loosening. These are lemon, ginger, black pepper and basil (tulsi).

Keep the air at home moist

Dry hair is not suitable for symptoms of cold. You will need to use a vaporiser or a cool mist humidifier. Keeping the humidity level of your house between 50 to 60 percent would be ideal. You need to be careful when using the vaporiser as it can cause harm if mishandled. Moreover, you need to make effort to keep the growth of bacteria and mould to a minimum.

Stay hydrated

When you are afflicted with flu, having a lot of water would ensure that the mucus resulting from the infection is thin. If it is less sticky, you would find it easier to remove from your system. There are some drinks such as alcohol and caffeinated ones that you need to guard against, as they do not hydrate.

Quit Smoking

Stats reveal that heavy smokers are more likely to catch a cold and that it is more severe. It dries out the nasal passage and adversely affects the immune system. The cilia of your nose, delicate hair lining your mucous membrane, get paralysed for up to 40 minutes after smoking one cigarette. Cilia drive the mucous out of your body.

Lower alcohol consumption

Alcohol not only dehydrates your body but also makes you prone to getting infected with cold and flu by other means. The heavier you drink, the more likely to get infected and suffer from complications.

Gargle

The ideal treatment for sore throat is gargling. Salt water gargle brings a lot of relief from the uneasy feeling of a sore throat.

By following the tips given here you can expect to deal with the cold and flu season better this time.

Read more articles on Understand Cold and Flu