The flu is a pretty common health condition and it affects a vast number of people all year long. When this condition is considered, it is the same case like with every other respiratory infection and it is a lot better for it to be prevented than treated. There are a lot of ways of preventing the flu by following some simple tips. During the winter season when the flu is far more common, and it is not enough for a person to simply follow these tips. Washing the hands regularly and consuming plenty of vitamin C needs to be done on a regular basis. The good idea would be to boost the immune system with the herb Echinacea when the first signs of flu occur. Common illnesses like the flu can be prevented with food a person consumes. There are a lot of foods which are good for different ailments and a person just needs to find out which are particularly good for specific illness.
Flu can be Treated at Home
Chicken soup is probably the most commonly used food when someone is feeling ill. Chicken soup is also known under the name of nature’s penicillin. If a person is suffering from clogged airways, this soup is an excellent remedy due to the fact that it will clear the airways. A sick person does not have a lot of energy and the nourishing broth is a great provider of such lack of energy. When preparing chicken soup one should also incorporate some vegetables, especially garlic and onion because they have excellent healing powers.
Apart from chicken soup, hot and spicy food is considered to be a good way to prevent the flu from developing and also fighting the infection once it occurs. Some of the most popular hot and spicy foods are garlic, horseradish, chilies or some spicy sauces. They can efficiently eliminate nasal and throat congestion. Indian or some other ethnic food is an excellent choice when someone is in need of easing congestion.
Dehydration is a real threat when a person is suffering from the flu and that is why it is really important to drink a lot of liquids at that time. It is best to avoid drinking coffee and sweetened drinks and instead drink a lot of water or pure fruit juices. If a person prefers hot beverages, he or she should consume chamomile or peppermint tea. Drinking hot water with a slice of lemon helps as well.
The intake of vitamin C needs to be increased during the flu season and that is why many people consume citrus fruits during seasonal flu epidemics. This is especially important in cases when the patient is a smoker because those who smoke are at increased risk of various respiratory infections including the flu. Apart from fruit, vitamin C can also be found in potatoes, green peppers, strawberries and pineapple.
In addition to all of these foods, there are a lot of those who prefer using fresh ginger root. This root is a great remedy for cough and fever, which are always there to accompany the flu. Ginger tea is the most common way in which ginger root is used.
Garlic can be Very Helpful with Flu
The botanical name for garlic is Allium sativum. Garlic has been in use as a remedy and a preventive measure for certain ailments like flu for a very long time. There are a lot of antiviral and antibacterial properties which garlic possesses. In addition to this, garlic is an excellent booster of the immune system.
Some of these ingredients which help the system fight the flu are selenium, sulphur, germanium and magnesium. Almost all of these ingredients cannot be found in a typical western diet and that is one of the main reasons why so many people succumb to flu when the season starts. The experts have examined all of these components individually and they all provide a lot of health benefits. However, all of them together have properties that cannot be matched.
The experts advise that the best way to consume garlic is to chew it and retain it in the oral cavity for as long as possible in order for the liberated volatile compounds to penetrate and be absorbed by the tissues of the mouth, sinuses and nasopharynx. A certain study which included 125 traditional healers showed that 94% of these healers agreed that this is the best way to use garlic medicinally. A person can even mix it with either butter or honey in order to make it more acceptable.
Apart from this way of using garlic, it can allot of those who cook or steep it. However, the experts agree that by doing that these processes negatively affect the medicinal value of garlic.
In addition to the antiviral and antibacterial properties, garlic also possesses detoxification abilities.
Your thoughts on this
Loading...