…To evaluate your health. Everywhere I go, I see sick people… and they don’t seem to notice. Planning their holiday meals at the grocery store, coughing and carrying on. Drugged and sniffling through their restaurant shift, because you can’t take a day off if the whole staff is sick. People shuffling through stores like zombies as they check items off their list and push each other aside to get to sales.
Cold and flu season has hit, and if you want to get off the merry-go-round of feeling sick, medicating, pushing through it, feeling a bit better, then getting sick again—you need to take a break from your to-do list, listen to your body, then take action.
Or inaction, because if you’re sick, the best way to power your weakened immune system up is to stop other activities and rest.
Take a cue from Ebola headlines, and take your temperature. A fever indicates a lot of diseases, and catching it early might mean a better chance to fight it off quickly.
If you missed that sign, then pay attention to your sinuses, your breathing, and any muscle aches creeping up. It might just be the cold air triggering extra mucus and making your muscles tense, or it might be the beginnings of a cold. Sit in some steam, try a sinus rinse, and see if it’s still there.
When you find you’re sick, it’s time to stop, rest, and double up on your immune support. Drink lots of clear fluids, double up on your supplements (and force yourself to keep eating—your body need nutrients, energy, and protein), and monitor your temperature. If you already have a weakened immune system (from a pre-existing condition) you might want to make your doctor your first stop, but most colds and flus don’t need an office visit because they’re caused by viruses, and rest/immune support is all you can do. The rule of thumb is 2 weeks—by then, symptoms should be improved or gone all together. If they’re worse or the same, see a doctor.
If you’re not sick, congratulations! Keep up with whatever prevention has been working for you. Wash hands frequently, give coughers and sneezers a wide berth, and maybe take some more colloidal silver after you visit public places (or eat out—restaurant workers don’t get sick days).
What are your tricks for avoiding cold and flu season?
