The flu can make you feel downright miserable, and when you get it, you probably cannot wait to be rid of it. But is it possible to speed up recovery from the flu and get better faster? It is, and we are going to share with you a few things you can do to get back on your feet quickly.
Drink Plenty of Liquids
No matter what kind of sickness you have, drinking plenty of water is usually going to help. Focus on liquids that are healthy for you and that your body is good at retaining. That would mean staying away from carbonated drinks like sodas as well as caffeinated drinks like coffee and some teas. Beware of any drinks that keep you up at night and prevent you from getting plenty of sleep, because as we will mention next, you need that as well.
Water provides a key component your body needs in order to heal itself. If you are at all dehydrated, your body will have to work extra hard to patch you up, so keep the liquids coming when the flu is upon you.
Sleep Lots
You also need some good rest to get better. It is when you sleep that your body does most of its healing. You can heal a bit while you are awake, but your body is able to heal at a much faster rate when you are sleeping. That’s because it is not distracted by a bunch of other tasks, so it can focus most of its resources on helping you get better. The more sleep you get, the quicker you will get back to full strength. It is hard to get an excess of sleep when you have the flu. If you feel tired, just get rest, and you will be better in no time at all.
Try to avoid any kind of activities or foods that would keep you up, like scary movies, loud music, and sugary foods. Be sure to stay away from these especially when you are planning to get some rest. It’s also wise to put your phone away and stay off electronic devices about an hour before you plan to nap or go to bed for the night. That way, your brain can de-stimulate and relax so that you can get to sleep.
Avoid Heavy Work
You should try to avoid as much work as possible when you are sick with the flu. Your mind and body need to rest, so avoid stimulation and exertion or work, if you can. You should even avoid the chores you are used to doing around the house, if possible. Get someone else to do them, like your family members, spouse, roommates, or even a professional cleaning company. A Las Vegas maid agency run by Sophia has been able to help many people who are elderly, sick or injured and who are not able to do the work on their own.
You should call into work while you have the flu and stay home as much as possible getting rest until you are completely over the illness. Those who try to work through their sickness will often find themselves taking much longer to recover. They think they are doing their boss a favour or they feel that they are fighting through the discomfort, but that is not healthy. They will prolong something that they could recover from fast, if they try to keep on working.
Give your body a chance to rest from stimulation, from stress, and from heavy work. Then, your body can focus on the essentials, and you will recover faster.
Take Some Meds
There are medications that will help with the flu symptoms and make your illness less severe. Talk to your doctor if you are able to and get some recommendations. Your doctor may be able to prescribe something for the symptoms as well as from the root cause. If your doctor is unavailable, you can always check with a pharmacist and get expert advice on what to take.
You may need to take medicine for headache, runny nose, body pain, sore throat, and cough. Some symptoms will be worse than others and will take longer to heal from, like a cough or sore throat. These need to be addressed as top priorities so that there are no lingering effects to your illness.
Be careful about which medications you take, as you may have negative interactions with some of them, and there may be some side effects to be wary of. Also take vitamins to strengthen your immune system and build your body back up so that you come out of the flu feeling better and healthier than before.
Eat Foods That Are Good for You
What kinds of foods will help you recover faster from the flu? As we have been saying in the article, you need to avoid any kind of food that is not good for you or that is high in sugar or caffeine. The focus when you are sick should be on helping your body and providing it with the nutrients it needs. So, try to eat foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals, like fruits and vegetables.
Eat foods that your body can process easily and that it can absorb nutrients from quickly. Fruit and vegetable shakes are good choices, as are whole grains, and foods with high carbohydrate content. Carbs are good for you when you have the flu because they help you get your energy back and not feel so tired all the time.
Be careful about changing your diet radically when you are sick. Your body may have trouble handling a dietary whiplash, but do consciously focus on eating foods that will be good for you.
We hope these guidelines help you the next time you get the flu. If you stick with them, you should recover much faster than you would otherwise and spend less time in the sick bed and feeling unwell.
