The flu is something practically everyone suffers from at least once a year. Instead of running to your doctor at the first signs of flu, it is better to first try out these home remedies for the flu.
After filling the bathroom or kitchen sink with steaming water, add two teaspoons of chopped fresh ginger to it.
Then drape a towel over your head, and lean over the steam and inhale it.
Instead of ginger, you can also add a teaspoon of Vicks VapoRub or a few drops of eucalyptus oil or menthol to the water. Inhale the steam for a few minutes till you experience some relief from your congestion.
Having a warm shower works as home flu remedies as the shower steam in a closed bathroom works as a personal sauna. The steam opens your airways and moistens and thins the mucus in sinuses.
Water keeps your respiratory system hydrated, which in turn liquefies thick mucus. So drink at least 8 cups of water every day. While hot liquids are better than cold liquids for treating upper respiratory infections, don’t consider coffee, tea or alcoholic beverages as they can cause dehydration.
If you find it difficult breathing through your nose, apply some warm, moist compresses to the cheeks and sinuses for flu relief. However make sure the moist heat is not too hot, lest you suffer from skin injury.
Saline sprays are also used for nasal irrigation, and can even be used for children. The saline solution just has to be sprayed into one nostril, after which the mucus and saline is blown out of that nostril. This has to be repeated in the opposite nostril till both nostrils run clear.
If you have a bad flu that has affected your throat, hot chicken soup is one of the popular home flu remedies. Chicken soup loaded with pepper, hot curry powder, garlic and other pungent spices work as a potent mucus stimulant that thins out mucus in the throat, lungs and mouth.
As garlic has antimicrobial and immune stimulating properties, it can give relief to upper respiratory congestion associated with cold or flu. Ginger too has an anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effect that stimulates the production of interferon that fights viral infections.
If you have a strong stomach, add some chili peppers to season food or add a few drops of hot sauce to your food or beverage. The capsaicin in chili peppers is a great antioxidant that works as a natural expectorant or decongestant that will help open your nasal passages and temporarily improve breathing.
Last but not least, you need lots of rest and sleep to boost your immune function and give your body sufficient time to heal. Try these home remedies for the flu for a few days, within most people get relief from their flu. However if you don’t experience much relief from these home remedies, it is better to consult your doctor for medication and treatment.
