1. Stock up on Oscillococcinum. This homeopathic flu remedy is my best friend. At the first sign of the flu, take this and within 24 hours you'll be saying "flu who?" Be sure to keep it in stock, if you wait until the flu has already grabbed hold, this remedy will still help, but won't kick it completely.
2. Neti Pot. I talked about this wonderful tool in my Detox Your World post. A few weeks ago I started getting the sniffles and got out my Neti Pot. Within three days my nose cleared up completely. The worst part of the flu in my opinion is all the nose blowing, the stack of nasty Kleenex and how sore and red my poor nose is afterwards. With the Neti Pot, not only will you rinse out all the mucus, but if you purchase the herb dropper that goes with it you will also kill the bacteria, killing any budding infection.
3. Herbal Supplements. Boosting your immune system is a great idea during any signs of sickness. Echinecea, Goldenseal, Astragulus, Garlic, Oregano, Cat's Claw, Vitamins A&E are all great supplements to have on board when you aren't feeling well. I would take 3x daily during the illness, and like an antibiotic, you want to continue taking them for about a week after you start to feel better, to keep the illness away and rebuild your immune system.
4. Green/Red/Herbal Tea. Most people have heard of the benefits of drinking Green Tea, but when ill I enjoy the Be Well Red Teas from Republic of Tea. These teas cover many issues including sore throat, constipation, nausea, etc. I highly recommend them.
5. Reiki. I you are a practitioner or have access to one, this is a great tool for healing. Generally I Reiki myself for an hour or so at a time, while relaxing to the television. The healing energy helps the body fight off illness, increases your energy, and reduces stress that may be causing you to feel poorly.
6. EFT/Affirmations. In Louise Hay's book "You Can Heal Your Life" she has an index that lists a multitude of diseases, along with a positive affirmation to counter it. for the flu, she states the emotional imbalance as "Response to mass negativity and beliefs. Fear. Belief in statistics." The positive affirmation she uses to counter this belief is "I am beyond group beliefs or the calendar. I am free from all congestion and influence." I like to incorporate EFT when doing my affirmations to empower them and release any emotional blockages in my cells. Check out this link to aid you in combining EFT and Affirmations: http://www.squidoo.com/eft-affirmations
Additional tips include getting plenty of rest. My Dad always told me that sleep is the best medicine and I believe he is correct. If you are tired, sleep, nuff said. Remember the adage, "starve a fever, feed a cold?" When you do feel like you are ready to eat, keep it light, in fact, stick with liquids in the beginning. Your body exerts a lot of energy digesting food, you don't want to draw energy away from healing to focus on digestion. Focus on orange juice, green smoothies, veggie juice, brothy soups to provide your body with nutrients that are already broken down and easy to digest.
Follow these tips and you will have a healthy winter!
P.S. Check out this link before getting a flu shot: The Risks and Dangers of Flu Vaccines and Flu Vaccinations
