All year round, we are vulnerable to an array of health disorders, be it due to poor lifestyle choices, a pre-existing disease, or changing climate/weather. While most people focus on the cure of grave diseases, the most common ailments are often overlooked. One such condition is cold and flu   a viral infection of the nose and throat. Although the infection usually occurs in winters, the viruses causing cold and flu can make you fall sick anytime, and when you do, you are forced to sit back at home and keep away from people because the infection is contagious.

What are the symptoms?

If you catch a bad cold and flu, you are likely to experience the following symptoms  

  Runny nose

  Nasal congestion

  Sneezing and coughing

  A sore throat

  Headaches

  Body or muscle aches

  Tiredness/fatigue

  Fever and chills

Usually, the symptoms resolve in a week or two and most people recover on their own. However, if the condition does not improve and if you fall sick repeatedly, you might have to turn to medications.

Who gets a cold and flu?

Ever wondered  Why am I getting sick all the time ? That is probably because you have a weak immune system. Certain autoimmune conditions exhaust the immune system and make you prone to infections, flu and cold. People, who have chronic immune conditions, tend to fall sick and take longer to recover.

How do you stop from getting sick?

If you have been falling sick more than once in every few months, then you can ask your doctor for supplements that will help build your immunity. Probiotics, zinc supplements, and vitamin supplements are good for cold and flu. You can also avoid getting cold and flu following a few preventive measures, such as the following  

  Get vaccinated against flu and cold, influenza, and seasonal allergies

  Keep your surroundings clean and free from pollutants because such viral infections are air-borne. If you need to go out, make sure you are using a mask to cover the mouth and the nose.

  Viruses that make you sick often spread by coming in contact with an infected person or contaminated surfaces. Therefore, you must always practice good hygiene. Wash your hands with soap or a sanitizer immediately after touching an unclean surface. Also, make sure you clean your hands before eating.

  Exercise at least thrice or four times a week. Any sort of physical activity helps build immunity, improves your overall health and reduces the risk of a number of ailments.

  Eat a balanced diet that includes enough proteins, fibre, healthy fats and lots of fluid. It is very important to keep yourself hydrated, especially in summer to avoid falling sick. The above measures not only prevent you from contracting flu and cold but also keep a dozen other ailments at bay.

How To Avoid Getting Sick?

Common cold, as the name suggests, is one of the most common diseases in the world. It is a communicable disease, mainly occurring during seasonal change, even though it is not chronic in nature. And homeopathy has the most effective medicines which treat common cold without the side effects offered by allopathic medicines, such as drowsiness.
Read on to know which are those:

1. Aconite
This homeopathic medicine is recommended when the most preliminary signs of common cold appear, such as getting thirsty frequently and being overly-anxious.

2. Belladonna
Belladonna is for more severe signs of cold, such as high fever and persistence of a throbbing headache.

3. Natrum mur
This medicine is effective for a runny nose, with initially clear snot thickening after a period of 24-48 hours.

4. Nux vomica
Nux vomica is effective for constant sensation of chill, with warmth not felt even in the comfort of the bed. It is also effective for headaches, blocked nose, body-aches, and nausea as results of the cold.

5. Gelsemium
Gelsemium is advisable for the known symptoms of common cold such as headache, fever, fatigue, drowsiness, shivers, etc.

6. Eupatorium perf
This medicine is effective in case of recurring thirst, sore muscles and bones, and immense headache that get worse on any kind of movement.

7. Arsenicum iod
If you are experiencing continuous sneezing with burning sensation and a nasal discharge, this is the medicine you should take.

8. Ferrum Phos
This medicine is also given at the preliminary stage, when the onset is slow, with mild fever, which gets worse especially with the approach of night.

9. Pulsatilla
When you have a nose with dense discharge and blocked ears, remember that these symptoms may worsen at night. This is the medicine best suited to your cold in such a situation.

10. Influenzinum
It is a homeopathic remedy for flu. The medicine, which is diluted and potentized, strengthens the immune system to fight against flu viruses. It does not suppress the symptoms but makes your immune system strong to not allow foreign viruses affect your health.

Homeopathy and Common Cold

Coughs and colds are the commonest health issues that can occur to anybody and everybody at any point of time. Nasopharynx is one of the leading causes of common cold. Cold symptoms highly affect your body's immunity power. It is always better to rely on natural products rather than medicated drugs so that speedy results can be gained and on the other hand, side-effects can also be prevented.

Common cold is the most common dosha disorder affecting human beings. Everyone has suffered from common cold at some point or other in their lives. Its symptoms are too well-known. In ayurveda, this very ordinary ailment is called as pratishyaya.

All the three doshas are responsible for the occurrence of common cold. Vata dosha common colds have dry coughs, little mucus discharge, hoarse voice, headache and a runny nose. People with pitta dosha who have common colds will have fever, sore throat, yellowish nasal discharge and continuous blockage of the nose. People with kapha dosha common colds have thick mucus discharges with dull headaches and heaviness of the head.

Major ayurvedic products for treating cold:

Ayurveda is the ultimate solution for all kinds of health issues. There are few ayurvedic products that can efficiently deal with cold symptoms, and they are as follows:

 Karpooradi thailam: it is for direct application over face and chest. Few drops need to be put in water and then the solution should be boiled so that you can take the steam. The solution not only reduces inflammation, but chest congestion can also be well treated.
 Thaleesapathradi choornam: excess cough can be easily released if you take it along with honey.
 Agasthya rasayanam: it is equipped with potential anti-histaminic properties, and thus it acts as a valuable decongestant.
 Fluvin capsules: these capsules are now treated as one of the excellent ayurvedic solutions that can efficiently treat all kinds of cold symptoms. These capsules are enriched with anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties as a result of which cold symptoms can be easily cured, and you can get utmost relief. You also get increased immunity by having these capsules.

5 homemade solutions for dealing with cold symptoms:

 Drinking ginger tea: it improves taste buds and digestion can be stimulated as this tea is a decongestant.
 Having lemon juice: both honey and water can be mixed with this juice in order to soothe the sore throat. Excess cough can be driven out and vitamin c intake is also boosted.
 Taking garlic: this ingredient is highly enriched with antiseptic properties and thus infectious elements can be eliminated. Garlic can be used both in supplements and soup and thus you can choose any of these forms.
 Drinking ginger juice: water, amla juice and honey can be mixed with ginger juice in order to create a magical solution that can treat all signs of cold. It not only plays the role of decongestant, but your immunity can also be improved by the same.
 Make tulsi preparation: pepper and tulsi together create the most powerful combination, which drives away both toxins and infectious elements as a result of which suffering due to cold symptoms can be reduced, and you can get instant relief.

Top 5 Ways to Treat a Cold Using Ayurveda and Home Remedies

There are a variety of reasons why a person can fall sick. A good number of these illnesses cannot be prevented though a person may take general precautions. Having said that, in the case of influenza, it can be prevented to a large extent and it does not seem all that smart to avoid taking easy precautions when one has an option, right?

Every year, thousands of people die from influenza, which is so unfortunate because an annual shot can reduce that number by almost 60 percent. So what exactly makes a flu shot or vaccine work? As a result of the vaccine, after about two weeks or so, antibodies begin to develop in the body. These antibodies help fight off infection, specifically the kind that is targeted by the vaccine. It is important to get vaccinated for this flu on an annual basis.

Choosing the right flu shot
Considering the great number of options there are when it comes to flu vaccines, which are the ones to be injected? It is a good idea to get the opinion of a doctor to see which one to choose. This is because the choice is dependent on a variety of factors, which a medical professional would be able to assess appropriately. Note that it is important not to use the nasal spray version of the vaccine as the medical authorities have recently found that it is not as effective a method as it once was.

When should you get it?
Flu season does vary across the world, but in the US, it starts in about October and goes on till May. During this time, the flu viruses are a lot more active. When one gets a flu shot, it is this period that one needs to look out for. So, it is better to get vaccinated in late September or the start of October, so that there is minimal unprotected exposure to the viruses.

Who is it for?
It is to be kept in mind that every individual who is older than six months should be vaccinated. While it is said that getting a vaccine shot year after year reduces its effectiveness, it is still important to do so. This is because each year, the shot is altered to reflect the biggest virus threats in that year. There might be few side effects of the flu vaccine such as redness in the injected area, soreness or swelling. However, as long as one gets a flu shot in time, it is almost a given that there will be almost no time spent  down with the flu .

Flu Shot - Why Is It So Important?

Things to do when your child gets flu

Although cold and flu are very common issue it is usually not a very serious condition. However when it affects your child, it is essential to take good care since a child’s immune system is not fully developed. Children tend to get flu very easily and if immediate care is not taken it has the potential to develop into serious conditions. Running nose, headache, nausea, body aches, fever, feeling cold, coughing etc. are some symptoms of common flu.

When to call the doctor?
Flu sometimes comes and goes away all by itself. However, when it is about younger ones, take professional advice if you see the following symptoms

- Difficulty in breathing
- Dehydration
- Extreme loss of appetite
- Difficulty in breathing
- Continuous coughing
- Get a rattling sound while breathing
- Sudden loss of energy, dullness
- High temperatures even after intake of appropriate medicine

How to quickly rid your child of Flu 
Apart from the prescribed medication here are few points you must always take care of, when affected by flu-

1. Good Rest - Complete rest till symptoms vanish
2. Nasal Drops - Use nasal drops to support easy breathing
3. Warm Water - Warm fluids, honey-lemon potion, cough syrup for chest congestion
4. Administer Paracetamol - Fever medicines that are available specially for infants
5. Increase fluids - Abundant intake of fluids in the form of soups, fruit juices or electrolytes in water.
6. Body Sponging - Warm water sponge bath for relieving muscle or body fatigue

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Things To Do When Your Child Gets Flu

Flu is caused by a virus known as influenza and is a common respiratory disease. It is typically caused from the month of October to May. Some of the common symptoms include fatigue, runny nose, fever, cough, muscle ache, sore throat, body ache, etc. 

The flu vaccination helps to protect from influenza. The effect generally lasts for a year. It is recommended that an individual takes this vaccination once in a year since the strain of the virus keeps changing every year. Flu vaccine comprises of an egg-based technology.

Who Can catch flu?
Anyone can get a flu vaccination. Children above the age of 6 months or more are eligible to get a flu vaccination. In addition, the person who has a severe outbreak of allergic reaction due to the flu vaccination should also stay away from this. 

Pregnant women can also get this vaccination without any worry about the baby. They not only safeguard the mother, but protect the child from influenza too. Adults who are more than 65 years old can take this vaccination without worrying. Patients with an acute allergy should consult their doctors before taking a flu shot.

Are there any side effects?
Although most people do not feel a thing after the flu shot, some might experience mild symptoms, such as redness of the area where the vaccine has been injected, mild body aches, soreness, redness and fever. Other serious side effects include allergic reaction resulting in soreness and very high fever. A doctor or healthcare personnel should be immediately contacted in such an instance. 

Can flu shot cause flu?
This is totally a myth. A flu vaccine doesn t result in the flu. The virus content of the flu vaccine doesn t contain any live virus that can potentially trigger an outbreak of flu in the body. They are noninfectious in every sense of the word. It takes a couple of weeks for the flu vaccine to build immunity in the body. A person might get affected during this time if he comes in contact with an infected person.

Confusing flu with similar symptoms:
Common symptoms of flu such as nausea, vomiting, sneezing, body ache and fever can be symptoms of an entirely different disease such as diarrhoea. Until the tests are conducted and the doctor gives an assured verdict of flu, it is unwise to take a flu vaccination based on gut feel and mere speculation. 

When is an ideal time to take flu vaccine?
There is no right or wrong time of taking a flu shot. It is seriously infectious and can catch hold of a person at any time. The right time to take a flu shot is now. It is readily available over the counter and can be injected at any time of the year.

Flu Shot - Things You Need to Know About 

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