Dr. Curtis McElroy

Tag: flu

  • Preventing The Cold And Flu This Season

    Easy Tips To Help Prevent Colds and Flu This Season to Give You The Edge

    The people who are exposed to germs from flu and colds on a daily basis, such as flight attendants, doctors, teachers, etc. probably know quite a few easy tips on how to avoid catching and even preventing the germs spread from a sneezing child in the classroom or a sick passenger on the flight – many will suggest that you get your seasonal flu shot in order to prevent the bug from taking hold of you.

    But here are some really good tips from those people who are exposed to colds and flu on a daily basis:

    Always wash your hands, and quite often too, because, no matter what line of work you are in, you are coming into contact with people who are contagious to you and you will need to wash your hands over and over again. Even when you are out, and you touch the elevators, the lifts, door handles, you are coming into contact with dangerous germs. It sounds so simple but in fact, soap and water are doctors and nurses around-the-clock companions.

    Try and use hand sanitizers that are alcohol based because if you are not near any soap and water, the sanitizer can kill off the flu and cold germs. That means not getting too close to people who are sick, like not shaking hands.

    Keep your space around you clean – in other words, if you are sick, it is better for you to stay at home. Your job is to heal and not to pass on the germs to other people, particularly if you are really sick.

    Live a healthy lifestyle, as it is important to look after your health. That means getting enough rest and nutrition. Many think these are just old wives tales, but it is really important to get good nutritional food into your system, not to smoke and to keep allergies under control. If you don’t, your upper respiratory tract could become inflamed. This makes you more vulnerable to get a virus.

    Repair your gut because your gut is the gateway to health and almost 80% of your immune system is situated in the gut. That means it needs to be in peak condition. Take a top quality probiotic to keep up good levels of bacteria to fight off infection.

    Go slow on alcohol and sugar consumption because when you consume too much, you suppress the immune system, causing leaky gut. Just moderate alcohol consumption can suppress your central nervous system too which is part of your important immune system.

    Reduce stress because stress suppresses the immune system. Consider things like acupuncture, or yoga, or medication to reduce stress.

    Take an immune booster which contains proteins and immunoglobulins which will boost your body’s line of defense.

    Take supplements of glutathione and turmeric because they are antioxidants, important for the right functioning of the immune function.

    Glutathione is the main antioxidant in the body and is responsible

  • Treating The Cold And Flu With Natural Remedies

    Treating The Cold And Flu With Natural Remedies

    Everyone has experienced it – a nasty case of the flu or even a cold that makes it hard to get things done. There’s no medication that can cure either of these problems because they’re caused by viruses. But there are many natural remedies that can help to shorten your illness give you relief from symptoms.

    Neti Pot. One of the best ways you can clear congestion and keep your sinuses open is to clean your system with a neti pot. This is a small pot that you fill with warm saltwater. You’ll tilt your head to the side, insert the neti pot spout into your nostril, and then pour the water.

    You’ll find that the water fills your sinuses and then runs out of the other nostril. After you’ve cleaned one side, you can then clean the other. Your nose will be much easier to blow and you can get some of the congestion out. You can do this any time to ease allergy and sinus problems.

    Oil of Oregano. Oil of oregano is a good supplement to use for a short time while you’re recovering from the flu or a cold. It can relieve aches and pains as well as inflammation. You’ll want to take this as soon as you notice that you’re experiencing symptoms.

    Oil of oregano comes in capsules that are easy to take. You’ll want to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the proper dosage. It’s not recommended that you take this long-term. It’s best used during an actual case of cold or flu.

    Zinc. Zinc is a very good remedy if you have a cold or the flu. This can help to shorten the length of your illness. Unfortunately, many of the commercial zinc lozenges you find at the supermarket are full of additives as well.

    Your best bet is to look for a high quality lozenge made from natural ingredients. Also look for the highest possible percentage of zinc. Follow the directions to make sure you don’t take too much. You’ll find this can shorten the length of your illness by as much as half.

    Essential Oils. Eucalyptus as well as rosemary and peppermint essential oils can help you to get relief from congestion. Heat a small mug of water and add two drops of one these oils. Then place your nose over the mug and inhale.

    These particular herbs can help you to breathe better. But you shouldn’t take them directly by mouth or use much in your steam preparation. You’ll love being able to breathe a bit better.

    Elderberry. Elderberry has been shown by research to help relieve cold and flu symptoms effectively. You can purchase the extract and take it as directed. This will improve your symptoms and also shorten the infection.

  • 6 Tips For Preventing The Flu

    The following are 6 tips that will help prevent you from getting the flu this year.

    As the seasons change and we welcome the fall, we also have to think about an old familiar problem that comes around each year – the flu. If you’ve ever had the flu, you know that it can be a miserable experience.

    Many people lose time at work, end up in the hospital, and some even die from the flu each year. But there are many things you can do to prevent coming down with this seasonal ailment.

    Now is the time to create a plan to keep it at bay.

    1. Get Vaccinated. Many people find that the flu vaccine is a good choice to help them prevent the flu. Many health insurance companies provide the vaccine free of charge. You can also get the vaccine at many pharmacies.

    The virus that is used for a vaccine is not live, so this vaccine doesn’t give you the flu. Instead, it helps your immune system to identify the flu and keep it from infecting you when you come into contact with it later.

    2. Avoid Contact. It sounds obvious, but one of the most important things you can do is to avoid contact with someone infected. That may mean staying at least arm’s length away from someone who has symptoms.

    3. Wash Your Hands. Your hands are the most common way that you actually pick up the flu. It can live on surfaces such as countertops and doorknobs. If you get the virus on your hands and then you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth you can become infected. Keeping your hands clean will help you to avoid infection.

    4. Clean Your Environment.  The flu virus can hang out on surfaces in your workplace or home. It’s a good idea to clean surfaces with a disinfectant that has been proven to kill the flu virus.

    5. Keep Your Immune System Strong. An important way you can combat the flu is to keep your body healthy and strong. That means eating nutritious foods, getting plenty of rest, staying physically active and managing stress.

    6. Stay Home If You’re Sick. If you do catch the flu, it’s important to stay home so that you don’t put other people in its path. If you have a fever over 101 degrees F, you should make sure that you keep away from others who are healthy so that they aren’t exposed.

    If you take some basic precautions, you can avoid having to deal with the flu this season. And if you do somehow pick up the flu or another illness, do your part to keep others from getting sick.

Copyright @ 2017 DrCurtisMcElroy