We’re in the thick of respiratory illness season. Whether it’s a cold or pneumonia, respiratory viruses spread in similar ways and have corresponding symptoms. These eight tips, brought to you by UnityPoint Health – Meriter, can help your immune system and body recover.
Hydration Is Key
When illness strikes, it often results in low energy and reduced appetite, which can lead to drinking fewer liquids and, ultimately, dehydration. Symptoms of fever, diarrhea and/or vomiting can also cause dehydration.
It’s important to drink plenty of water so your body can fight off illness. There’s no need to overdo the water intake — usually the recommended amount depends on body size — but it’s generally eight 8-ounce glasses of water in one day.
It’s best to stick with water, but 100% orange juice, low-sugar sports drinks, black or green tea, and 100% vegetable juice are also acceptable options. Skip the milk, soda, alcohol and coffee while you’re recovering from an illness.
Eat Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken noodle soup relieves congestion, since it’s hot and steamy.
This can help the nose start to run, which reduces sinus pressure. The steam also helps with dryness and irritation in your nose. The chicken is an easy-to-digest protein and the broth helps with rehydration.
Some other feel-better-fast foods include leafy green vegetables, crackers, eggs, bananas, apples and lean proteins. Skip the dairy as it can be hard to digest and aggravate nausea.
Try Adding Some Honey
Honey is an antioxidant that can make you feel better, soothe a sore throat and relieve a cough. You can have a teaspoon or two plain — or add it to your tea. It’s good for kids, too. But remember: Honey can only be given to children one year or older.
Get Plenty of Shut-Eye
Our immune system weakens if we don’t get proper rest. Aim to get more sleep than what’s recommended — for adults, that means going above and beyond seven to nine hours.
Pause Exercise
When you’re feeling ill, skip long bouts of exercise or intense workouts. This is especially true if you have a fever, muscle or joint pain, vomiting, a headache and/or diarrhea. These symptoms are a sign your body is fighting off an infection and needs energy to do this.
Gargle With Salt Water
This is a popular remedy to help soothe a sore throat or common cold. The salt helps draw liquids to the surface, along with any viruses or bacteria in the throat. Mix a half teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water and gargle a few times per day.
Sit in a Steamy Bathroom
Adults and children alike can benefit from sitting in a room with moist, warm steam from a running, hot shower. This can help loosen nose secretions so they don’t build up.
Other Helpful Advice
A lukewarm bath can help boost circulation and regulate body temperature if you have a fever. Wear something lighter — like shorts and a T-shirt — to allow your body to cool off. Also avoid bundling up under lots of covers while in bed.
It takes time to kick an illness — the average recovery time for a mild or normal case of respiratory illness is between one to two weeks.
