photo by sunshinecity

What’s up with everybody being sick with the flu this time of the year? It seems that many people at work or at school are down with the flu, and if you haven’t caught some type of it yet, I’m betting you probably don’t want to.

So, how can you tell if you’ve got the flu? What about preemptive strikes? What are effective ways of preventing the flu? Well, in this edition of Hawaii Life Hacks, we’ll attempt to get a more in depth look at the flu.

Do I Have the Flu?

symptoms

Well, here are the most common of Flu symptoms (according to wikipedia):

• Body aches (especially joints and throat)
• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Extreme coldness
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Irritated watering eyes
• Nasal congestion
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Reddened eyes, skin (especially face), mouth, throat and nose

If you’ve got a combination of any of the symptoms listed above, chances are you’ve got the flu. To be sure, always consult a physician so that you can be properly diagnosed.

Hawaii Life Hacks | Precautions & Treatments for the Flu

photo by aussiegal

vaccination

The flu shot is designed as a precautionary method to protect one from three types of the flu. The CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends the flu vaccination especially to “infants, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease, and people 65 and older” as they are at higher risk of complications should they come down with the flu.

Have you gotten the flu vaccine? If so, we’d like to hear your thoughts about it.

antibacterial products to keep the germs away

Having a small tube or container of antibacterial gel handy in your purse of handbag, cars, or work desk can help to protect yourself from harmful germs and bacteria.

good diet & exercise

Our immune system is what protects our bodies from diseases.

Eating right with balanced amounts of fruits and vegetables everyday will contribute towards a healthy immune system. Proper exercise will give our bodies energy and contribute to the health of our immune system as well as the overall health of our bodies.

proper rest & stress control

Sleep deprivation and excessive amounts of stress will tax our bodies. Among other negative effects, these can also weaken our immune systems. Proper amounts of sleep and controlling the amounts of mental, emotional, as well as physical stress we put on ourselves contributes to our overall wellbeing.

So, just how do we get rid of unnecessary stress? Well…stress control is subject within itself, so let’s save it for another Hawaii life hack.

vitamins and supplements

Vitamins and supplements such as vitamin c, green and black teas, and echinacea are known as powerful antioxidants and is believed to also boost the immune system.

Products such as Emergen-C and Airborne are vitamin and herbal formulas that are intended to be energy and immune system boosters. I’ve know a couple of people who swear by Airborne, but I can’t vouch for it personally as I’ve never used it.

I like to keep some packets of Emergen-C in the kitchen cupboard for whenever I feel the need for an extra energy boost. Emergen-C has worked as an energy booster for as I’ve taken it once before bedtime and couldn’t sleep for most of the night .

antiviral drugs

If you’re already down with the flu, your doctor may prescribe antiviral drugs such as Oseltamivir or Zanamivir to assist you with recovery. What antiviral drug to take and in what amounts of dosage can only be determined by a licensed physician.

other helpful tips

Most will agree when I state that everyday life is just too busy and most people can’t afford to be sick as it just takes too much time out of an already full schedule. That being said, if you or your child has the flu, it’s best to stay home from work or school. This will increase your chances of faster recovery and decrease the chances of the spreading of the disease.

If you are coughing and sneezing, it’s best to have tissue paper in handy so as to take precautions towards spreading the flu to those that you come in close contact with.

Can you think of anything else?

If you’ve got flu stories, have an opinion about the flu, or have a great life hack to add, we’d love to hear from you! Mahalo Nui

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