cure and avoid cold and flu without medicine and bad tasting grandma's soup for cold.

First thing first, identify

Is It a Cold or the Flu?

Overview

 Is it a cold or the seasonal flu? Symptoms can confuse you, so unless your doctor runs a rapid flu test. As soon as you start to get sick, it’s hard to know for sure. Here are some basic guidelines on how to tell the difference between cold and flu symptoms, and what to do if you have either one of these infections. 

What Is the Common Cold?

This seasonal respiratory infection is a leading cause of clinic’s visits and missed work or school days. While a cold generally resolves quickly, symptoms can last for up to 14 days if your immune is too week else for an average healthy person it is less and so on. However, unlike the flu, symptoms are generally mild and in most cases do not lead to any serious health complications.

The RHINOVIRUS is most often the one that makes people sneeze and sniffle, and it’s highly contagious. Other frequent cold-causing pathogens include coronaviruses and respiratory syncytial viruses. Most cold-causing viruses thrive in environments with low humidity, which may be why colds are more common during the fall and winter months. However, you can catch a cold any time of year. 

 You can get sick if you touch a surface (such as a countertop or doorknob) that has recently been handled by a cold-infected person, and then touch your nose, mouth, or eyes. To avoid thus one must be attentive while being with the infected person.

Cold Symptoms

If you have a cold, you’ll probably experience symptoms such as:

·         runny or stuffy nose

·         sore throat

·         sneezing

·         mild-to-moderate fever

·         cough

·         headache or body aches

·         mild tiredness

How to Treat a Cold

          Colds are contagious during the first 2-3 days, so stay home and rest up. Because this is a viral infection, antibiotics are not effective in treating a cold. However, over-the-counter medications (antihistamines, decongestants, acetaminophen, and non steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines) can relieve congestion, aches, and other cold symptoms. Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.

Some people take natural cold remedies, such as zinc, vitamin C, or Echinacea. These remedies can prevent or reduce the symptoms or length of a cold.

          Colds usually clear up within a few days. See a doctor if your cold hasn’t improved in about a week, or if you develop significant or persistent fevers. You could have allergies, or a bacterial infection (such as sinusitis or strep throat) that requires antibiotics. A nagging cough could also be a sign of asthma or bronchitis.

How to Prevent a Cold:

           “We can put a man on the moon, but we still can’t cure the common cold.” While it’s true that doctors haven’t yet identified a vaccine, there are ways to prevent this mild but annoying affliction.

       Avoidance

          Because colds spread so easily, the best prevention is avoidance. Stay away from anyone who is sick, and don’t share utensils or any other personal items such as mobile phones, money, toothbrush, towel or any item touched by that person. Sharing goes both ways — when you’re sick with a cold, stay home.

       Good Hygiene

          I hope everybody is very much aware of this habit and I must not right more on Personal hygiene. However if you have any question I would be happy to answers it. Keep your hands away from your nose, eyes, and mouth when they’re not freshly washed. Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, and always wash your hands afterward.

What Is the Seasonal Flu?

          Influenza — or the flu, as it’s better known — is another upper respiratory illness. Unlike the common cold, the flu can develop into a more serious condition such as pneumonia. This is especially true for young children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with immune compromising health conditions such as asthma, heart disease or diabetes. 

          Unlike the cold, which can hit at any time of year, the flu is generally seasonal. Flu season usually runs from fall to spring, peaking during the winter months. During flu season, you can catch the flu in the same way you’d pick up a cold: by coming into contact with droplets spread by an infected person.

The seasonal flu is caused by the influenza A, B, and C viruses. Active strains of influenza virus vary from year to year. That’s why a new flu vaccine is formulated and released each year.

Flu Symptoms

          Flu symptoms can be similar to those of a cold, although they tend to be more severe. Symptoms can include:

·         dry, hacking cough

·         moderate-to-high fever (although not everyone with the flu will run a fever)

·         sore throat

·         shaking chills

·         severe muscle or body aches

·         headache

·         stuffy and runny nose

·         profound fatigue (may last up to two weeks) 

Some people may experience vomiting and diarrhea, but this is more common in children.

How to Treat the Flu

          In most cases, fluids and rest are the best way to treat the flu. Over-the-counter decongestants and pain relievers such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen may control your symptoms and help you feel better. However, never give aspirin to children. It can increase the risk of a rare but serious condition called Reye’s syndrome. Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.

          The drugs can shorten the duration of the flu and prevent complications such as pneumonia, but you need to take them within the first 48 hours of getting sick in order to have a positive impact.

When to Call a Doctor

          Call your doctor when you first have symptoms if you’re at risk for complications from the flu. Serious complications include:

·         people over the age of 50

·         pregnant women

·         children under the age of 2

·         those with weakened immune systems due to HIV/AIDS, steroid treatment, or chemotherapy

·         people with chronic lung or heart conditions

·         people with metabolic disorders such as diabetes, anemia, or kidney disease

·         people living in long-term care facilities such as nursing homes

Contact your doctor right away if your symptoms do not improve, or if they become severe. See a doctor if you have signs of pneumonia, including:

·         trouble breathing

·         severe sore throat

·         cough that produces green mucus

·         high, persistent fever

·         chest discomfort

Monitor children closely, and seek prompt medical treatment if they develop the following symptoms:

·         labored breathing

·         irritability

·         lethargy

·         refusing to eat or drink

·         trouble awaking or interacting

How to Prevent the Flu

          The best way to prevent the flu is by getting the flu shot. Most doctors recommend getting the flu vaccine in October, or at the very start of flu season. However, you can still get the vaccine in late fall or winter.

To avoid picking up the influenza virus, wash your hands often and thoroughly with warm soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Avoid touching your nose, eyes, and mouth, and try to stay away from anyone who has the flu or flu-like symptoms.

It’s important to adopt healthy habits to keep cold and flu germs at bay. You should always make sure you get plenty of sleep, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, exercise, and manage your stress during cold and flu season and beyond.Top of Form

Bottom of Form

 Now let me tell you what things to follow on daily basis to avoid and cure such things apart from the ones mentioned above.

1.  If you have such symptoms the very first day you should get some oranges and keep it in sunlight for an hour before taking out juice out of it and consume it empty stomach in morning, as it will be the first thing to consume and our body tends to absorb nutrients from food when its empty for long hours. If you are having this on daily basis there is no chance you can et sick until unless  one gets too close to the infected person like holding hands or sharing a coke, kissing a sick person and so on.
2. . If you get a bunch of kiwis, this fruit is very helpful during the infection period. kiwi has more vitamin c than orange thus is a better option if your are infected already. 
3. stick to fluid diet such as juices, ors solution, lots and lots of water preferably warm every time you drink. But do not mix hot and cold water the whole day, if you are taking warm then stick to warm every time you drink or if at room temperature then let it be at room temperature every time. As we do not want to change the temperature inside our body so frequently which will lead to worst condition.
4. As a fluid diet one can always get simple chicken soup.
5. one must always keep his stomach full tight with fluid every time during infection.
6.  Be a couch potato. Listen to your body. If it’s telling you not to exercise, don’t. If it’s urging you to spend all day in bed, do. Don't press on with daily chores even in the face of severe cold or flu symptoms. Rest is “another way of supporting the body’s ability to fight infection,” 
7.  Humidify. Breathing moist air helps ease nasal congestion. One good strategy is to indulge in a steamy shower several times a day -- or just turn on the shower and sit in the bathroom for a few minutes, inhaling the steam. Another is to use a steam vaporizer or a humidifier. *********DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS UNTIL YOU MAKE SURE THERE IS NO TEMPERATURE CHANGE FACED BY YOUR BODY INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL**** 
8. BE A SUCKER. there are good range of throat lozenges, surprisingly effective to reduce coughing. 

 SINCE THERE IS NO SUCH VACCINE TO CURE THIS INFECTION, ONE MUST FOLLOW ABOVE REMEDIES TO MAKE IT EASY TO SURVIVE IN THOSE DAYS, REST IF FOLLOWED FOR REGULAR BASIS ONE CAN STAY AWAY FOREVER FROM SUCH INFECTION.

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW, IF IN CASE I MADE A MISTAKE OR MISSED OUT SOMETHING.

REGARDS 

LALIT KUMAR