While there are lots of things to look forward to during fall and winter – think pumpkin spice, the first snowfall, cozy nights by the fire – coming down with cold and flu symptoms surely isn’t one of them. Here’s how to prepare yourself ahead of cold season to help you stave off, or at least better manage, the illness.
Knowing Cold From Flu Symptoms
Colds and cases of flu share many symptoms. Issues such as frequent sneezing and a stuffy or runny nose are common to both. A sore throat is often a factor when you’re battling either illness, as is developing a cough. That being said, there are a few symptoms that may help you tell whether you’re coming down with a cold or the flu.
While fever and chills are common with the flu, they are less likely with a cold. Feeling weak, tired, and achy can occur with either illness, but the flu is much more apt to cause those symptoms and they will probably be more severe with influenza, too. One final distinction is that symptoms tend to come on gradually if you’ve caught a cold, whereas the onset will be more sudden if you have the flu.
Keeping Medicine Cabinet Full
If you’re starting to feel the tell-tale signs of a cold coming on, most experts recommend that you begin treatment right away to limit the severity of your infection. To address your symptoms without overloading on chemicals, seek out an over the counter flu medicine that will help you recover naturally.
For maximum relief, find one that combats a variety of symptoms without simply masking them. It’s also a good idea to keep a homeopathic cough suppressant in your medicine cabinet, as chest issues often seem to linger even once other symptoms have disappeared.
Practicing Smart Habits
Being smart and health-conscious in your daily habits can also help reduce your chances of suffering from a cold. Wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your eyes and nose. Disinfecting commonly touched surfaces like doorknobs, countertops, and bathroom fixtures can help reduce the spread of germs. Additionally, many experts advise that your phone is probably harboring more bacteria than you’d like to imagine, so wipe it down several times a day.
Eating well and staying hydrated can also keep your body in fighting form. Daily exercise and getting plenty of rest will help boost your immune system, too. These simple good habits can go a long way toward preventing infections or at least limiting their severity if they do strike.
Although it may seem like everyone around you is sniffling and coughing this cold season, it’s not an inevitability that you’ll do the same. Inform yourself about the differences between cold and flu virus symptoms, practice healthy habits, and stock your cabinet with natural remedies like those from Brillia Health. Being prepared can help you avoid illness altogether, but in the event that you fall ill, that same preparation can aid you in reducing the severity and duration of your cold.
