Flu Remedies; How to understand prevent and Combat cold and flu season!
As if it ever goes away, but it’s cold and flu season again! Many of my friends have been hit and find themselves sick and shut in! The flu has been really bad this year. Worse than in years passed. At least among people I personally know. Do you know someone who is suffering from the flu now that could really benefit from some flu remedies? It is time to help our friends, family and even ourselves combat this flu and get back on our feet. Who has time to be sick? Really? So hopefully our flu remedies will help you kick that cold and flu out the window and you can get back to your busy life!
Understanding the Flu and preventing it
Ok, so the flu is a very common term. But do you really know the symptoms to watch out for? It is rather serious if the little ones get it. So it’s very important we know what symptoms are associated with the flu! The three main symptoms are
- Fever
- Body aches
- Respiratory symptoms
If your little ones feature these symptoms, watch them carefully. If it gets worse, get them to a Doctor immediately. The last thing you want is your child to end up in the ER with influenza. It can be rather scary.
There are common things you can do to help reduce your risk of contracting the flu. These include:
- Proper hand washing, especially after being near others with the flu
- Proper nutrition. If you are eating healthy foods and getting adequate nutrition your body is stronger to fight off any possible exposure
- Adequate water intake. Water is so important to our health. It is truly amazing what you can combat if you get all the water you need in a day.
- Exercise. Again, if our body is in optimal health and fitness, it is harder for viruses to take root and make us sick.
Effective Flu remedies to help get you back to life!
So, we did our best to prevent getting the flu; but that isn’t always foolproof! So now it’s time to treat the flu with some flu remedies! Many of the items we talked about in our last article of common cold remedies will work amazingly for flu remedies as well! So definitely be sure to visit and browse through those five tips too!
Here are some great flu remedies that will get you back on your feet:
- Hydration! At the onset of first symptoms get in as much water as you can. It will drastically decrease how severe your symptoms will become.
- Hot herbal teas and broth! It has been shown that warm liquids help to stimulate the immune system and stop the proliferation of the flu virus. Again, I hate tea, so steep it in hot apple juice for a delicious alternative. Warm chicken broth will not only make your spirits lighter, but helps your body combat the flu.
- REST! Take a sick day or three. Make sure you are getting the rest you need. Without it the flu will last longer and you will be far more miserable. Not to mention you will also spread the disease.
- Herbal treatments. There are many natural flu remedies such as elderberry syrup, Apple Cider Vinegar, using a Humidifier and essential oils. These will help boost your bodies natural defenses and start combatting the virus a lot faster.
- Vicks DayQuil and NyQuil. Of all OTC medications, I don’t know any that understand the flu like Vicks does. They have a great formula for daytime use and nighttime use. It helps with the aches, pains, and fever. Thus allowing you to feel better! No, they don’t actually kill off the virus. That is what all the other flu remedies are for. This one is specifically to help you feel better while all the others are doing their job.
Why use Vicks DayQuil and NyQuil for flu remedies
Vicks DayQuil and NyQuil are the #1 pharmacist recommended brand for adult cough/cold/flu relief. Another reason why it’s a common staple in our medicine cabinet. It is great for combatting the flu and the common cold! The active ingredients in the formula work to suppress the impulse to cough, help clear nasal congestion for easier breathing, help relieve minor aches and pains, and reduce a fever. NyQuil is also specially formulated for a restful night’s sleep.
The husband is a fan of the Liquid NyQuil. He uses it all the time when he gets a cold or the flu. I’m a big advocate of the capsules. I just can’t stand the liquid taste. I’m a baby, I know it. Ha-ha! When I get a fever and body aches, the Vicks DayQuil is what I reach for first. Or if it is night, I always go for the NyQuil. It is amazing how it helps to ease you into a much needed rest.
REMEMBER:
Before trying any new medication make sure to check with your doctor & follow the proper recommended course of treatment.
DayQuil & Nyquil is not recommended for children younger than 12. Please be sure to consult your physician before giving DayQuil & NyQuil to children.
When using DayQuil/NyQuil, be sure to follow the usage guidelines for warnings and dosage directions or visit http://www.vicks.com for more information.
What are your successful flu remedies?
I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Vicks DayQuil & NyQuil. I received product samples and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.
Washing hands frequently is a big fav of mine, but keeping hydrated is a close second. When the flu bug actually sets in, we go straight to green tea. I just learned from your post that exercising helps. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Thanks for all of the great tips! You never can have enough tips when it comes to cold & flu season!
So far (knock on wood) we have not been hit., thankfully. I’m always after everyone in the house to wash their hands and drink plenty of water. If I even feel the slightest warmth, I rush to my thermometer. I will definitely keep your tips in mind *just in case* … let’s hope I don’t have to.
Cold and flu season has been rough at my house this season. Thanks for the great tips!
we really like to do all natural remedies in our house. Usually ginger tea with honey and lemon works well with colds or flus plus lots of vitamin c throughout the day
Love these tips. While we experience allergies and the common cold, we’ve been lucky enough to have the flu skip over our home the past few years. I’ll be saving these tips though just in case.
Washing hands long enough can really help. Plus we love Nyquil products they really seem to work good! Plus Vicks is a huge fan in our home as well!
Some great information, thanks for the tips.
My kid is in bed with the flu RIGHT NOW. 102 fever this morning…yuck! I am going with a combination of OTC and holistic things too. Really pushing fluids, vitamins and rest but sometimes you really need the help of a strong OTC medicine!
OH, I could have used this important info last week. Seems like everyone was sick then. We definitely have NyQuil on hand and a humidifier if we need it. It’s so sad when our little ones are sick. I was rubbing Brody’s check and back every day it seemed…He’s better now…Thanks for another awesome post.
I also use zicam when I start to feel a cold or flu coming on with the hope that it will reduce the illness time.
Thanks for sharing these great tips. I don’t really have any flu tips to share, as neither I or my daughter has caught it. But we do use Vicks products in our household!
Thanks for sharing all the great tips.
When I was a kid, I got the flu a lot, usually on holidays and I could always tell that’s what it was. Nowadays, my kids get sick in weird ways. There symptoms change day to day and one day they have a fever and the next day they don’t and then it’s back again. Very confusing. Good thing all these items can be used for any similar sickness.
Thanks for these reminders!!! Love Vicks products!!
Great ideas!!! We were lucky enough to avoid the flu this season, but this is good to know for next.
I am so terrified of the flu this season. I wanted to run from the restaurant yesterday because the people at the table next to us, who happened to be the only other people there had a kid just hacking away. Poor kid, but I really didn’t want to be around that at all!
I always opt for natural remedies if I can, and if I need medicine, you have one of my favorite here – DayQuil. It is one of the few medicines that does not cause me to be drowsy. Whether they are labeled non drowsy or not I get drowsy.
I have never had the flu (knock on wood) but reading stuff like this makes me scared of it!!
I love Nyquil! Thanks so much for the great tips!
This is such a great post!!! I LOVE Vicks! Sometimes, rest is the best thing for you when you have the flu!
my husband always uses these products when he’s sick and always seems to work for him!
I have not had the flu now for many years (only time I got it was when they forced me to get the shot against it!)–I do tend to drink lots of fluids and at the first tingle in my throat I put some liquid echinachea in a large glass of water and drink it down! It seems to help ward off whatever is brewing in my system. A couple of my friends, who do get the flu swear by Nyquil/Dayquil products!
Saving these for next year – we could have definitely used them this year – thanks for sharing!
Dayquil is the best! My best tip is to try and get enough rest during flu season, before you get sick. Making myself go to bed a bit earlier does wonders for my health.
We use children’s Nyquil when they get a cold…thankfully we just got rid of ours, and it took me 2 weeks to do so 🙁
Hi,
I always use natural ingredients in our house, I like the essential oils and breathe easy. Washing hands in soap and water is a great preventive.
I know I was freaking out at the hospital last night when I took my husband to the ER, those places are the worst for germs! I used every antibacterial station available. My most recent med training we were discussing proper handwashing techniques (ABC’s or Yankee Doodle), and also discussing the importance of hand sanitizer. I work in human services and am constantly washing my hands, so they are cracked all over the place, which is just inviting bacteria. It’s funny, you would think the alcohol based sani’s would dry out your hands more, but actually hand washing dries your hands far more than sanitizers. I’ve been trying to remember to use hand sanitizer instead of washing my hands (unless there is something actually on my hands, and not just germs!).
What a great and useful post! I had the flu for the first time ever this year, and I never want it again! Nyquil really helped, especially at night!
Great post! I love Dayquil & Nyquil! They are life savers when I’m sick!
I am on certain meds that I can’t take Nyquil But I see how great it works on my husband. he sleeps totally out cold
sibabe64 at ptd dot net
I think you covered our favorites! Besides using Nyquil products I try to keep things cleaner (surfaces, door knobs, light switches, etc.). We wash hands, eat well, hydrate and try to get plenty of sleep.
My husband would say that gargling with vinegar and snorting it up your nose kills germs and has stopped him from getting many germs and or bugs! Sometimes I think with little kids it is almost impossible for not getting the bug and they seem to carry home the worst. Hand washing is the best for spreading.