Cold and Flu Fighters

What are colds and flu? They are infections caused by viruses, not bacteria. A cold usually lasts a few days. But it takes most people a week or two to recover from the flu, or influenza. Unfortunately, some people develop life threatening complications from the flu, like pneumonia.
Who gets these infections? Viruses are continuously changing over time. This makes people susceptible throughout their lives. Those with immune systems weakened by stress are especially at risk.
What are the Symptoms?
* Runny nose, sneezing, coughing, and a sore throat
* Low-grade fever for colds; high grade fever for the flu
* Fatigue and muscle aches for the flu
Want some advice on how to stay healthy during the flu-season?
Eat breakfast, according to Professor Andy Smith of Cardiff University, who directed a study of 100 people in Wales. He found that people who had fewer colds were more likely to eat breakfast. And they weren’t just healthy because they got up early.
Breakfast is associated with a general healthy lifestyle, but we considered the special ingredients important in getting through the flu season unscathed.
Here’s some advice on what a healthy breakfast should look like:
1) A glass of orange juice or a well-sized orange cut into crescents.
2) Cantaloupe cut into chunks
3) A cup of low-fat yogurt (watch the sugar content) or a glass of low- fat milk fortified with live yogurt cultures. Acidophilus should be indicated.
4) A bowl of whole-grain cereal with a low-fat milk. Rolled oats or porridge.
Start with vitamin C. While vitamin C may not prevent a cold, research shows it might shorten the length of time you suffer from cold symptoms. You can get plenty of vitamin C from oranges, orange juice, cantaloupe, grapefruit and strawberries. And if you’re tired of these, try tangerines, pomegranate juice, mangoes, and guavas.
To boost your immune system, Dutch researchers recommend eating more when you have a viral infection and less when you have a bacterial infection.
You may have heard you shouldn’t drink milk when you have a cold because it increases the amount of mucus you produce, but studies show milk doesn’t affect mucus at all. In fact, researchers say drinking milk, even without live cultures, can improve your immune system and help fight off colds.
Get selenium from whole grain or meat. In one study, rats deficient in selenium developed a particularly vicious form of the flu. Low levels of selenium could make your bout with the flu much worse.
Ginger is a fragrant herb which can help rid your body of viruses. Gently simmer three to four slices of fresh ginger root in a pint of hot water for 10-30 minutes to make a refreshing and soothing remedy.
Pineapple juice and honey. All that coughing and hacking leaves your throat feeling scratchy and sore. Just mix together 8 ounces of warm pineapple juice with two teaspoons of honey for a delicious, soothing drink.
The Sicilian remedy was something like this: Mix a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, with some honey and a little lemon for a home-made cough syrup. Some Italians would find a tablespoon of Anisette very effective. When I was in my twenties, a friend had been given a bottle of apricot brandy he didn’t like, so he gave it to me. I used it as a cough syrup — only when I had a cold with a cough. It worked like a charm. At the time, I had an alcoholic uncle who was hooked on "Geritol" which just happened to be about 80 percent alcohol. It was intended to be a brand name liquid vitamin elixer but it was very addictive to my uncle. My aunt finally caught on when she looked at the content. She just happened to be working in a drug store and knew much more than the average person about the products she sold.
Chicken Soup. As President Reagan would say, "Here you go again." Health experts finally caught on to the healing power of chicken soup. Researchers discovered the hot liquid moistens and clears your nasal passages and soothes your sore throat. It can also relieve symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection by reducing inflammation. To make your own medically proven home remedy, add some garlic, celery, onions, carrots, oregano and parsley to your homemade chicken broth. As I have said many times, my father considered it the best full course meal in a bowl you could possibly want or need to stay healthy.
Water is very important to keep your throat lining moist and supple so it won’t crack (which allows viruses in). Drink eight glasses a day at about the rate of one per hour until your urine almost turns clear.
Get a flu shot unless you are allergic to eggs. You should get a flu shot if you are over 50 or have a chronic condition. Because viruses are constantly changing, you must get a flu shot every year. For best results, be well-rested and relaxed. If you’re under stress, your body won’t respond properly to the vaccine.
WASH YOUR HANDS FREQUENTLY. Navy recruits lathered up five times a day and watched their rate of respiratory illness drop 45 percent. Wash vigorously with regular soap and water for 15 to 20 seconds, long enough to sing the famous "Happy Birthday" song, then rinse.
Exercise can help keep your immune system strong. But if you have a fever, sore throat, aching muscles and joints, vomiting, diarrhea, or you are coughing up mucus—wait until your infection runs its course before starting up again.