Kids are back in school and half of them seem to be back out with some sort of flu or cold! What’s the difference between a cold and the flu and what can you do to reduce their risk of getting ill? A cold will be milder in symptoms compared to the flu and appears to have more of the runny or stuffy nose while the flu tends to be more intense with body aches, high fever, extreme fatigue, and a dry cough.

Take note

• Avoid close contact with others who are or maybe ill.
• Avoid direct contact with your eyes, mouth or nose.
• Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze.
• Wash your hands regularly.
• Stay home if you’re sick.
• Practice good health habits.

Did you know?

Colds and influenza travel by contaminated water droplets getting to the lymph system by breathing and the gastro-intestinal method by eating? This means if a person who had been infected, coughs or sneezes and those little tiny water droplets get to you personally by you breathing in or touching a contaminated surface, such as the phone, followed by touching regions of the face which are near the nose or mouth, you’re at a greater risk of infection.

This is why it’s important cover the nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze, and to regularly wash your hands. You will reduce the risk of spreading any disease for you as well as those around you. I was always taught to cover my mouth with my hands. This, however, places the disease in my hands and more likely to spread to someone else at a handshake or to another surface when I use the telephone, touch a door knob, or touch another surface. I’ve since learned a more sanitary way by coughing or sneezing in my elbow region, leaving my hands “clean”.

Whash you hands

Washing your hands regularly will do the maximum in protection from contracting in addition to spreading germs. The guideline is use warm water and soap, rubbing/scrubbing for 20 seconds before rinsing and drying with a clean paper towel that’s then thrown away. In a public bathroom, it’s ideal to use the paper towel that you’ve dried your hands with to open the door when you leave (you never know what the previous person left behind!).

Staying home when you’re ill does two things, the first is reduces the possibility of you spreading the virus around to others, the next is that you have a chance to rest, giving the body the ability to recover and heal quicker. The AMA and CDC strongly urge people to have vaccinations to better protect themselves from the flu. In my health practice it’s not unusual to hear of patients becoming sick after receiving a conventional vaccine, especially if your immune system is strained.

Conclusion

What is one to do if they don’t need the higher risk of getting sick article vaccination or they’re in the groups that aren’t recommended to get the vaccination- babies, the elderly, those with a suppressed immune system, and those allergic to egg products-? It involves no needles and instructs the immune system how to manage the flu virus (what strain you may get) lightly and based on observations it is seen to be very effective in prevention in addition to recovery of flu type symptoms. Most importantly there are no side effects (like getting flu symptoms post vaccination) and for people who are allergic, no egg products! It’s shown to be readily tolerated in infants in addition to the older and every age in between. For those who have further questions regarding your personal health care, contact your community natural healthcare provider.