You plucked up the courage this season to get your flu shot, and guess what, you’re sick. Or maybe you’re like me and are facing flu season without that nifty vaccine, but unfortunately, are not that lucky to go without catching it. Either way, I’m here to help. These are some of the ways I’ve managed to fast track my flu and still make it to most of my classes.
1. Sleep
Extremely important for when you’re all types of sick, but especially when you have the flu. There has never been a better excuse for you to lay in bed all day. One of the fastest ways to get the flu out of your system is through rest. If you get sick during the week, email professors ahead of time to let them know you will be unable to attend class for the next few days. Personally, I got lucky by getting sick on a Thursday, if you can even get lucky when you’re sick. But the important thing to do is stay in bed and don’t move. This also means putting your phone and computer away and closing your eyes, I know, I’m sorry, but scrolling through Instagram to pass the time is not going to help the flu move through your body any faster.
2. Drink, Drink, Drink
Fluids are your friends when you’re sick. Water and either cranberry or grape juice help rehydrate your body. If you’re feeling nauseous, taking small sips of ginger ale or Sprite can help calm your stomach. Similarly, Gatorade is a great drink to reach for to build back up the electrolytes in your body. I try to drink around eight bottles a day when I’m sick and around four cups of some kind of juice. Help your body get the virus out by constantly drinking. Tea is another great drink to have ready, and adding in some honey can help soothe sore throats and coughs.
3. Eat Up
Similar to drinking, you need to make sure you’re providing your body with the energy it needs to help fight off the virus. Soup is a great way to get both liquids and easy digestible ingredients into your system to leave you feeling full, but not too full. Chicken noodle is a personal favorite, but any light soup will work. If you’re still not feeling full after that, try adding crackers in. This will help too if the flu is leaving you nauseous.
4. Invest in a Heating Pad
Usually when I get sick, I suffer from some level of body aches. As I am currently writing this article, I can feel my joints in my fingers aching from the movement. What I found to help ease those aches is a heating pad. I am able to lay it on my legs, back, neck, basically any area that is suffering from those insufferable body aches. Equally, I love that it helps me fight off those body chills that seem to hit you randomly. A heating blanket is a good option as well, but when hot flashes hit you, a heating pad is easier to get rid off.
5. Use Salt Water
Mixing some salt in a cup with warm water can quickly help relieve the pain in your throat and behind your ears. I seem to catch ear infections rather quickly after having a cold or the flu, particularly from lying down the whole time, but gargling salt water whenever I get up to refill my drink can help reduce that chance. It can be a little tricky, especially when you have body aches, but it can definitely help relieve the pain from the neck up.
If you’re reading this article because the flu virus caught up to you, trust me when I say I understand what it’s like. I’m currently using these methods to speed up my recovery time in order to complete my assignments all on time. If you’re not sick then congratulations, your immune system is serving you well, just keep this article in mind to pass on if you hear of someone suffering from the flu and could use a little extra help.