Tag: common cold

Fighting the Flu: Foods to Eat Before and After Getting Sick

Temperatures start to drop and as much as this shows that winter is nearing, it also means that flu season is hurtling in. This calls for extra caution if you want to avoid the emergency room for urgent care. Remember that the cost of an emergency room visit is estimated at $1,354 and you don’t want to add that to your bills.

The common cold tends to develop in one to three days once you come into contact with the virus. However, there are measures that you can take that will stop the flu and eliminate the need for urgent care. The first sure step is to get a flu shot.

Next, ensure that your home temperature is comfortable but don’t crank up the thermostat. This is the norm in most American homesteads with heating and cooling gadgets making up about 54 percent of annual utility bills.

You can also fight the flu from the kitchen. There are foods that can help prevent catching a cold and some that help fight it. Here is a list of foods to eat before and after catching a cold:

Foods to Eat That Fight Sickness

Oranges

If you are feeling a little under the weather, then stocking oranges will come in handy. Oranges contain vitamin C, which is vital when it comes to preventing the flu. According to the National Center for Epidemiology and Population Health, vitamin C is essential for people who live in sickness-inducing environments, such as winter.

Ginger tea

When a cold is approaching, you should jump on foods that boost your immunity. Ginger can be relied upon to prevent and treat the common cold. Researchers speak highly of its anti-inflammatory properties.

Inflammation affects the immune levels of the body but the anti-inflammatory qualities in ginger can help improve immunity and avoid the need for urgent care.

Greek yogurt

Greek yogurt is quite different from regular yogurt because it has a higher protein content and is full of probiotics that help fight sicknesses. These probiotics, according to researchers, can help prevent and even grind a common cold to a stop. Researchers also discovered that when you eat probiotics daily, it lowers the risk of catching a cold than when you don’t eat probiotic-rich food.

As an added bonus, yogurt is high in calcium, which can help strengthen your teeth. By regularly consuming yogurt and other foods that promote healthy teeth, you may be able to avoid being among the 47.2% of adults 30 and older who have periodontal disease. Why not prevent two diseases with one tasty snack?

Tomatoes

Oblivious to many, tomatoes are a great food to help beat the common cold because they are rich in vitamin C. One medium-sized tomato has more than 16 milligrams of vitamin C. Vitamin C is known for strengthening the body’s immune system.

Vitamin C plays an important role in strengthening the body’s T-cells and phagocytes, the two most important components of the body’s immune system. When the body is low on Vitamin C, it has a weak immune system and offers little resistance to pathogens responsible for diseases.

Blueberries

These berries are laden with antioxidants that can help prevent and treat colds and coughs. Research carried out by the University of Auckland concluded that taking flavonoids, antioxidants that are in blueberries, makes the average adult about 33% less likely to contract a cold compared to adults who did not indulge in flavonoid-rich foods.

Foods to Eat While You’re Sick

If you let your defenses down and are already sick, fret not. With the right diet, you’ll be in a good position to evade the emergency room and the high costs that come with it. This avoidance is especially essential for people on Medicare, a government-run health insurance program for people 65 years old and older as well as people under 65 with certain disabilities. Federal programs like Medicare don’t always cover visits to emergency rooms, leaving vulnerable people with high hospital bills. With that being said, here are foods that you should eat if you have a cold:

Chicken soup

Chicken soup is a great source of vitamins, protein, calories, and minerals which are easy-to-eat and needed in large quantities when you’re sick.

Additionally, chicken soup provides the body with fluids and electrolytes and this helps hydrate the body, especially if you are losing a lot in the bathroom. Chicken soup is a natural decongestant, especially when taken hot, as it helps clear nasal mucus effectively. This is partly because it gives hot steam and also has amino acid cysteine. This not only breaks mucus, but also has anti-viral, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects.

Garlic

Garlic has several health benefits, including anti-fungal, antiviral, and antibacterial effects. It also stimulates the body’s immune system. Garlic extract supplements have been found to enhance immune function and reduce the severity of flu and colds. You should add garlic to broth or chicken soup for flavor and make them even more effective.

Hot tea

Hot tea is also a natural decongestant and helps rid the sinuses of mucus. However, it has to be hot to act as a decongestant but not too hot as it can irritate the throat.

Tea has polyphenols with health benefits such as antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. Tannins, another polyphenol, acts as an antioxidant and has anti-fungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties.

Honey

Urgent care will be a thing of the past with honey that has antibacterial effects due to its large concentration of antimicrobial compounds. Some studies also suggest that it stimulates the immune system and is a wonderful food for the sick, especially in the event of a sore throat.

Leafy, Green Vegetables

Greens such as kale, romaine lettuce, and spinach are full of vitamins, fiber, and minerals. They are rich sources of vitamin A, C, K, and folate. They are also rich in plant compounds that have antioxidants properties protect the body cells from damage and stop inflammation.

Urgent care is needed if symptoms persist or veer off at a tangent. When researching for pediatric urgent care clinics, it’s important to look at their Google and Facebook reviews, which are left by patients who have visited these clinics and have a one to five star rating and a comment about what their experience was like. If a fever persists or you suddenly feel weak, seek urgent care in an emergency room.

Health Memo Roundup: Attack Of The ‘Superbugs’

Health Memo Roundup: Attack Of The ‘Superbugs’

Here are some highlights from the world of health and wellness you may have missed this week:

  • Sleep disorders are prolific, detrimental, and treatable. Snoring, sleep apnea, insomnia, and restless leg syndrome are among the afflictions that can get in the way of a good night’s rest, causing moodiness, irritability, and memory problems. Luckily, these can usually be treated with exercise, proper dieting, and other measures.
  • The common cold and the flu are both viruses that can put you out of commission for a while, but while the former is relatively mild, influenza can turn aggressive and deadly pretty quickly. Especially for patients who are at greater risk for respiratory illness, it’s important to be able to identify which virus is which, and also to be aware of how to not only treat these infections — but prevent them as well.
  • The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (aka “superbugs”) is one of the major potential health crises of the moment. These tough bugs have evolved to survive all the treatments that we currently have developed to combat bacteria, and after a recent outbreak in a Los Angeles hospital, other medical centers are stepping up. Learn how hospitals are changing their practices to curb the transmission of these difficult-to-kill pathogens.
  • Tune in to this: There is compelling new evidence that using psychedelics, like LSD and magic mushrooms, does not harm your mental health. A recent study found no link between use of these drugs and the development of anxiety and depression later in life. If anything, the study found that those who experimented with psychedelics may be at a lower risk for mental health problems. Far out.

Image: BASF via Flickr

Could Cold Remedy Make You Sicker?

Could Cold Remedy Make You Sicker?

By Harvard Health Letters (Tribune Media Services)

It’s handy to walk into a drugstore for an over-the-counter cold remedy, but some of the ingredients may cause adverse reactions.

“I think people underestimate these medications because you can get them without a prescription. But they are still medications that can interact with other drugs and interfere with existing health problems,” says Laura Carr, a pharmacist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.

It’s crucial to read the active ingredient list of any OTC medication you consider taking, and talk to your pharmacist or doctor if you’re not sure how it may affect you. Carr recommends that older adults pay close attention to the following:

Decongestants

What to look for: pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) or phenylephrine (Neo-Synephrine, Sudafed PE Nasal Decongestant)

How they help: Decongestants narrow the blood vessels, which can help reduce inflammation in your nasal passages and provide relief.

The risk: They can increase your blood pressure. Decongestants are also stimulants, which can increase your heart rate or cause anxiety or insomnia. The drugs aren’t recommended for people with heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, or angina. Prolonged use of OTC decongestant nasal sprays can lead to greater swelling than you experienced initially.

What to do: “Check with your doctor or pharmacist before using them, as older adults can be more sensitive to the effects of these medicines,” says Carr.

Acetaminophen

What to look for: acetaminophen (Tylenol)

How it helps: Acetaminophen relieves pain and reduces fevers.

The risk: Too much acetaminophen can be toxic to your liver, and alcohol can increase the toxicity. “Too much” is generally defined as more than 3,000 to 4,000 milligrams (mg) per day. Acetaminophen is a frequent ingredient in many pain relievers and cold remedies, and taking more than one cold remedy may mean you’re taking too much acetaminophen.

What to do: “Do not take more than the recommended dose listed on the product. For example, if you have a cold remedy with 325 mg per tablet, you shouldn’t take more than 10 pills in a day,” says Carr. “And don’t take high doses for several days. That’s also been shown to harm your liver.”

If you’re taking a combination drug, check the ingredients for acetaminophen. If it’s listed, don’t take separate acetaminophen pills to relieve pain, including prescription pain relievers. Don’t drink alcohol while taking acetaminophen.

Antihistamines

What to look for: diphenhydramine (Benadryl, Unisom Sleep Gels), chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton), and doxylamine (Unisom)

How they help: Antihistamines decrease the production of histamine, a substance that leads to a runny nose, watery eyes, and sneezing. They also have a sedative effect and are frequently found in nighttime cold remedies to help you sleep.

The risk: Older adults don’t metabolize this medication well.

“If you take it at night, you might still feel groggy and confused in the morning, which can lead to falls and injuries. Then if you take more of the medication, there’s an accumulation that makes the confusion and sedation even worse,” says Carr. Antihistamines can also cause the retention of urine in the bladder, which can lead to urinary tract infections.

What to do: “Avoid medications with antihistamines, unless your doctor gives you approval to take them,” recommends Carr. Most nighttime cold or pain remedies contain an antihistamine, so be sure to check the list of ingredients.

Combination Medicines

What to look for: Dayquil, Nyquil, Tylenol Cold and Flu, Advil Cold and Sinus, or any cold remedy that treats more than one symptom

How they help: For convenience, these have two to four medications in one dose, such as a painkiller (acetaminophen, ibuprofen), a cough suppressant (dextromethorphan), and a decongestant (phenylephrine).

The risk: You may not need all of the medications. “Treating symptoms you don’t have exposes you to medicine you don’t need, and that puts you at risk for possible side effects unnecessarily,” says Carr.

What to do: Look at the ingredient lists of potential OTC cold remedies, and make sure you select the one that treats only your symptoms and has only ingredients that are safe for you to use. If you’re unsure which combination product is right for you, make sure you ask a pharmacist or your doctor for advice. – Harvard Health Letter

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Photo: Allan Foster / flickr