‘Ahhhhhh ahhhhhh ahhhh choo…’
‘Bless you.’ I quickly responded, very unaware of the reasoning behind that automated response, but very confident in its healing power.
I was once told that one’s sneeze is as unique as their fingerprint. This means that everyone’s sneeze is unique to them alone. But why do we sneeze?
One of the main reasons for sneezing, aside from allergies or irritation, is the flu. A very uncomfortable contagious sickness that causes congestion, headaches and irritation.
The flu, brought about by the influenza virus (thus its flu nickname), affects the nose, throat and sometimes the lungs. But you aren’t here to analyze the sickness, you are here to find ways of deleting it from your system. So here are a few remedies that do not involve over-the-counter medication.
Drink Lots of Fluids
Drink water, juice, soup, tea, stew or broth. To the liquids, you can add ginger, lemon oranges, garlic or even honey. These help soothe your sore throat and give you that required additional vitamin C to fight the flu. Warm liquids particularly increase mucus flow and reduce nasal blockage.
Caffeinated drinks and alcohol contribute largely to dehydration. So please please avoid them, if not for your sake do it for the writer of this article. Dehydration and influenza do not go hand in hand.
Drinking lots of fluids replaces the lost liquids in the body, thins the mucus, regulates the internal body temperature and ensures that the immune cells and nutrients are carried with ease throughout the body.
Do Not Swallow the Mucus
Swallowing or pulling back the flu can cause infection since mucus collects dirt. Blowing out the mucus means that you are also blowing out the collected dirt from the nasal passageway. However, be sure to blow it out gently, lest you tear a capillary or cause an earache.
Rest
Resting is a very fundamental remedy for quick recovery from the flu. If the body is constantly being exerted, then it will not have room to heal. Exertion when riddled with flu can lead to blackouts, light-headedness or even short-term memory loss. So rest.
Utilize Essential Oils
Recently during a nasty flu attack, I discovered the strength in essential oils. These include rosemary, eucalyptus, cyprus, tea tree, and peppermint oil, among others. Three to four drops of these in a large cup of hot water/tea, twice or thrice a day will lead to instant relief from congestion.
Aside from being ingested, these oils can also be inhaled through diffusion. This can be done with a diffuser, or just by boiling oil-infused water on low heat and letting the steam spread through the room/house.
Do note that these remedies do not necessarily cure the sickness, but they do help provide relief and enable the body to fight the virus with ease. Remember, if symptoms persist, seek medical advice.
