Natural remedies and prevention methods for flu symptoms

MANUKA HONEY

I was caught in the rain on my way home yesterday afternoon - though I was carrying the umbrella, the heavy rain and strong wind caused me to be slightly soaked by the time I reached home. I had runny nose, though there was no fever or body ache. I took a teaspoon of manuka honey at dinner time, and this morning when I woke up, my nose is fine. So you could consider getting a small jar of manuka honey from a health store too.

http://voices.yahoo.com/manuka-honey-as-natural-cold-flu-remedy-7373654.html?cat=68
"It is no secret that honey helps to soothe the throat and ease the effects of certain illnesses during the cold and flu season. However, one type of honey is being used more successfully than ordinary honey. It has been discovered that Manuka Honey from New Zealand contains healing properties not found in other types of honey, making it extremely effective in treating a wide spectrum of health conditions

Manuka Honey's famed antibacterial properties are now being used in hospitals to ward off antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria that cause potentially life threatening conditions such as MRSA and VRE. In addition to its impressive antibacterial activity, studies have also revealed Manuka Honey's antiviral properties which make it effective in treating cold and flu symptoms.
...
For cold and flu symptoms, it is recommended to take one teaspoon of Manuka Honey, 3-4 times per day. It is also important to note that because Manuka Honey is an all-natural ingredient, it has been found to cause no negative side effects whatsoever when used for medicinal purposes. Manuka Honey could very well possibly be one of the single most healthiest things you could eat."

http://healthtalkwomen.com/sarahs-column/why-you-should-love-active-manuka-honey/
Natural Cold and Flu Remedy
"Manuka Honey is effective in treating, and minimizing the effects of the flu and the common cold. Soothes sore throats too."

I would usually take 1 teaspoon of manuka honey daily. It not only boosts immune system, but also speeds up healing. For example, my runny nose cleared overnight after taking 1 teaspoon of manuka honey, as mentioned earlier. Recently, it relieved me of sore throat within a day too.

On a similar note, this article suggests mixing honey with garlic to make garlic tea (for cold, cough or flu), or mixing honey with lemon (for sore throat) - these suggestions are for your consideration too. http://www.naturalnews.com/035323_home_remedies_colds_coughs.html

MISO SOUP


Miso soup is good as a natural remedy for flu symptoms too, as it boosts immune system.

(NaturalNews) Miso is a delicious fermented food that has been eaten in China and Japan for many centuries. Today it is a favorite of health minded people in the West because of its many anti-aging benefits. Miso and other fermented foods and drinks help build up the inner ecosystem and assure the digestive tract is amply supplied with beneficial bacteria. These bacteria help digest, synthesize, and assimilate nutrients so necessary for good health and anti-aging. They also strengthen the immune system, keeping it at the ready to fight infection and cancer.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/025519_health_anti-aging_soy.html#ixzz2Gh2gitrX

GINGER


This website also recommends ginger, among other herbs, to combat flu.

http://www.naturalnews.com/034851_flu_herbal_remedies_cures.html
Fresh ginger root (zingiber officinale) is a warming botanical that has been used as a medicine in Asian, Indian, and Arabic herbal traditions since ancient times (http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/ginger-000246.htm).

Used for the treatment of digestive problems, stomach upset and nausea for more than 2,000 years, ginger has long been a popular natural remedy for a variety of ailments. A powerful anti-inflammatory, ginger has also been widely used for generations to help treat the common cold, flu-like symptoms, headaches and painful menstrual periods.

The warming nature of the root helps to produce sweating and thus helps to release pathogens. Ginger also helps to strengthen the immunity of weaker individuals who sweat without the relief of symptoms. (http://www.naturalnews.com/030318_cinnamon_colds.html)

A great herbal tea can be made for those trying to recover from a cold or flu by simmering a couple of cinnamon sticks and sliced fresh ginger in water for at least 20 minutes. It can also be taken in high-dose supplement form to aid the immune system in warding off and killing the flu virus.
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/034851_flu_herbal_remedies_cures.html#ixzz2Gh2sg7D8

WAYS TO BOOST IMMUNE SYSTEM TO PREVENT FLUS, COUGHS AND COLDS

This article summarises some suggested measures to boost the immune system and prevent flus, coughs and colds. http://www.naturalnews.com/028562_immune_system_colds.html

• Include fresh, organic vegetables such as broccoli, tomatoes, chicory, cabbage, garlic, mushrooms and spinach in the diet as often as possible to boost the immune system.
• Fruits to include would be lemons, grapefruit, oranges, bananas and dark colored fruit such as blueberries, black cherries, blackberries, black currants and black grapes.
• Spicing up meals with ginger, cinnamon, cumin, oregano and cayenne will help to build the immune system in order to fight off colds and can even be taken at the onset of a cold to reduce the effects.
• Drinking freshly squeezed lemon juice or tea helps to restore the body's pH balance. An imbalance of alkalinity creates a condition favorable to the growth of bacteria, yeast and unwanted organisms which thrive in a more acidic environment.
• Drink plenty of pure water each day to flush the body of toxins. Drinking green tea, or Rooibos tea (African redbush tea) will promote overall good health.
• Get enough sleep each night - research indicates that sleep deprivation can adversely affect the body's ability to fight infections.
• Exercise regularly* - moderate, consistent exercise can lead to substantial benefits in immune system health in the long-term.
• Control stress - Stress can raise cortisol levels and weaken the body's immune system, making it more susceptible to colds and flu.

(*Note: Do not over-exert yourself if you exercise. If you have a fever, it is better to get sufficient rest and wait for the fever to subside before attempting any strenuous exercise.)

If you happen to be travelling outside these days via public transport, remember to wash your hands when you return home or before eating meals as germs/bacteria/virus may be contracted from certain surfaces such as handle bars on public buses, subway trains, etc. I am reminding myself to do so too as I would start to have runny nose once in a while when I did not wash my hands after travelling on a bus and before eating a meal.

Related article
Five must-have winter rescue natural remedies

Combating fatigue with Chicken Essence

Brands Chicken Essence is a common health tonic in Singapore, and I learnt that it is also available in Canada in Chinatown and Chinese drug stores as well as major Chinese grocery stores.

http://www.brandsworld.com.my/main.aspx?sid=389#canada

Canada

BRAND'S^® Essence of Chicken (EOC)

1. BRAND'S^® EOC
2. BRAND'S^® EOC with Cordyceps
3. BRAND'S^® EOC with Lingzhi

Where to find:

• Major Chinese Groceries
• Chinese Drug stores
• Chinatown

You can take it straight from the bottle, warm or chill it. It's excellent for brain alertness, boost immunity as well as helps in metabolism. Once you have bought the chicken essence, you can place the unopened bottle in 1/2 cup of hot water for a while to warm it and then drink straight from the bottle, without adding water. This way, you will have full benefits of the undiluted essence. The Brand's chicken essence is scientifically proven for its efficacy.

When I used to study for exams or work late or sleep late at night, I would sometimes take Brand's chicken essence, and I would feel slightly more rested and invigorated the next day. It takes a combination of sufficient rest and drinking this health tonic (once a day on average), besides eating healthy high fibre natural diet and exercise, to overcome chronic fatigue in the long run, I believe.

Here's also sharing a post below that summarises some effective ways to feel less tired, which I find helpful.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AqHqeUBMUkw8O8kFP7XqIEQjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20090912120159AAfL4QO

"Do you get about seven to eight hours of quality sleep every night? Your body needs an uninterrupted seven to eight hours of sleep to feel rejuvenated and fresh. But good sleep is not the only factor. We feel tired when we are experiencing low energy levels mentally or physically. In order to perk up your physical energy, you need to eat healthy, nutrient dense foods like whole grains, nuts and fresh fruits and vegetables and stay away from refined, processed food such as canned food high in salt, fats and simple sugars. Take a fresh approach to your daily diet and try to eat at least every 2 ½ to 3 hours. You also need to schedule in some exercise, although it may sound contradictory, the body is more energized after a workout. Nothing too tough, a quick 30 min brisk walk or jog is a great energy booster. Mental fatigue can be dealt with by taking the right supplements such as essence of chicken and managing stress through exercise such as yoga. Getting enough rest and sleep at night is also crucial to alleviate fatigue. If required, take a 15-30min power nap in the afternoon. It can be a great pick-me-up, especially after a heavy lunch. However, you should not nap for more than 30minutes as it may affect the quality of sleep at night."

I can understand the fatigue, and it probably takes some time to fully recover from stress and lack of rest (or sleep/rest debt). It took me a few months to fully recover from fatigue and heart palpitations in 2009. So yes, making rest your priority is the way to go. 

Last night I drank a bottle of Chicken Essence, and this morning I woke up feeling a bit more refreshed as the health tonic helped me sleep a little better. 

http://www.brandsworld.com.sg/main.aspx?sid=145

http://www.euyansang.com/index.php/product/health-foods/essence-of-chicken-series

"Eu Yan Sang’s Essence of Chicken series is made from the 100% pure essence of premium-grade chicken, with no caramel colouring added. It does not contain any flavouring, preservatives and additional salt, and is cholesterol-free. It can be taken chilled or warmed, every day by everyone, and is particularly suitable for those recuperating from an illness, pregnant and post-pregnant women, students preparing for their examinations, and the aged who feel weak."

Here's a scientific report on how drinking chicken essence helps to overcome or relieve fatigue.   http://www.lwjuan.com/2011/12/20/is-taking-chicken-essence-effective/

Folk wisdom suggests that chicken extract is useful for recovery from physical and mental fatigue. To explore this question, the physiological effect of Brand’s Essence of Chicken (BEC), a popular chicken extract used as a traditional remedy, was assessed during recovering from mental stress. We quantitated the blood levels of stress-related substances, and examined the task performance and subjects’ mood states during mental workloads. Subjects were 20, healthy male students who have never tasted BEC. They took two bottles of BEC or a placebo (70 ml/bottle) daily in the morning for 7 days. On the final experimental day, two mental workload tests were performed: (A) a mental arithmetic test (MAT; 1600 trials of two or three figure-addition or subtraction for 40 min). (B) a short-term memory test (SMT; 20 trials of memorizing 9 digit numbers). Blood was collected before and after each workload task. After the mental workload, the recovery of mean cortisol level of subjects who consumed BEC was significantly faster than that for those consuming the placebo. The task performance of subjects performing the MAT and SMT was also improved with BEC consumption compared with placebo. According to the profile of mood state questionnaire, subjects felt more active and less fatigued during the workload when they took BEC regularly. We conclude that the extract of chicken has the potential to metabolize stress-related substance in blood and to promote recovery from mental fatigue.

Reducing computer fatigue and improving eyesight naturally

I have learnt to take breaks from the computer screen as often as I remember to because prolonged computer usage can cause eye fatigue and mental fatigue. The other day, I was reading this article that reminds people to minimise sitting for a prolonged period of time and take time to move around.

(NaturalNews) "In today's workplace, the majority of people sit for eight or more hours per day. Think your desk job isn't affecting your health? Think again. A sedentary lifestyle, at home or work negatively impacts your health in multiple ways. Smoking, alcohol, lack of exercise and junk food are all detrimental to our health... we need to add sitting to that list as well. "Sitting diseases" are quickly lowering our lifespans and increasing our healthcare costs."

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/037919_sitting_health_consequences_weight_gain.html#ixzz2C3xfvipE

Usually when we get up from your computer and move around, we would feel better. Hence, making it a regular habit to take breaks from the computer screen will help prevent fatigue. It will also prevent eye strain and shortsightedness. I learnt from this article about exercising our eyes, to look away faraway objects when resting our eyes from the computer screen.

"Another way to approach this is to simply exercise the range of motion of your ciliary muscles by alternating between focusing on close objects versus far away objects (such as the horizon). This is most accomplished from inside your home, near a window. Simply look at something on your desk, then look at something outside your window that's far, far away (ideally, at the horizon). Alternate this process several times, then rest your eyes, and then repeat. Do this daily for a few minutes each day."

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/037775_pinhole_glasses_clear_vision_eyeglasses.html#ixzz2C3yoBBDo

Here's sharing this article that summarises three ways to minimise computer fatigue, using the 3 Rs:

http://www.fitsugar.com/Fight-Computer-Fatigue-Syndrome-Three-Rs-220146

• Readjust the computer screen so that our eyes look down (slightly from the top of the screen)
• Refocus our eyes on something far away once in a while (and also blink our eyes to keep our eyes moist)
• Remove ourselves from the workstation every now and then

Sometimes in the office, I would forget the above tips and I would find myself using a computer for about two hours or more at one stretch, before I started to feel mentally tired. I then had to remind myself to take a break. One way to help myself remember to take regular breaks is to drink water, so that before long, I would feel the urge to go to washroom, which gives me a chance to take a breather from the computer. Walking up the stairs and going to the rooftop also helps me refocus and refresh my mind, even as I look at faraway trees in the horizon to refocus my eyes for a few minutes. In my bedroom, I would remind myself also to look at the trees outside my bedroom window. I suppose you could do the same, and when the weather is fine, taking a walk outside does wonders too.

On a similar note, here's sharing the website on how to prevent myopia, which my colleague emailed me and other colleagues yesterday. http://myopia.org/index.htm

It has a free online ebook on the myopia myth, which I find informative. http://www.myopia.org/ebook/ I learnt that pinhole glasses can help correct short-sightedness, so I have gotten a pair of pinhole glasses from a pharmacy store recently.

According to the pinhole glasses manual, "The Bates method and vision therapy, like chiropractic and physiotherapy practices versus medical surgeries, as well as natural, organic health food and supplementation versus pharmaceutical drugs, are becoming a mainstream and effective alternative to the traditional views of health care today." I agree, as more and more people are coming to realise the importance and effectiveness of natural therapy, which is risk-free, drug-free and has no side effects.

The manual also gives the following advice, which we have discussed earlier about taking breaks regularly from the computer screen:

"You should take a vision break for 1-2 minutes every 30-40 minutes of near work, such as reading, computer work, playing computer games, including handheld games. A vision break is to look at far away objects, preferably at nature, and multi-coloured natural surroundings. You can put away your work, and take a walk, or close your eyes and relax for a moment. This activity helps to minimize vision-stress."

I can understand sometimes it can be easy to forget to take a vision break especially when we are engrossed in reading materials on the internet. So, reminders such as these are welcoming as they help ensure we avoid experiencing eye fatigue and mental fatigue. There were times when I felt a bit breathless walking up a few flights of stairs at my office, and I would heed these signs of fatigue and decided to take longer breaks in between my time on the computer so as to maintain sufficient energy and stamina in the long run.