- Julianna Sweeney
What To Do As Soon As You Start To Feel Sick
Being sick sucks - I think everyone can agree.
It's also a part of life. Although there's no way to completely rid yourself of ever getting sick again, there are some easy and natural steps that I swear by to minimize the strength and length of any illness that I've had in the past 6 years.
It's worked like a charm every time...
What To Do As Soon As You Start To Feel Sick:
Hyper Hydrate - Flush it all away, my friend. Drink so much water that you find yourself in the bathroom every 20 mins. It's gonna be annoying but you'll thank yourself when you start feeling better quicker. Your body needs that water, not only to flush away toxins, but to replenish what is lost while it's fighting off infection.
Maintain A Positive, "Healthy" Attitude - This might seem silly but it's not. Be grateful it's not worse and keep telling yourself that you're getting healthier. Your mindset is everything. This applies to just about everything in life. If you've got a good attitude and a positive mindset, you're gonna start feeling better quicker and the entire process is gonna be less sucky as a whole.
Take Zinc & Vitamin C - They are both water-soluble, meaning you pretty much cannot overdose on them. The excess will come out in your urine. They also help to bolster your immune system so keep pounding them away (when I start to feel sick I take zinc every 4 hours and vitamin C, 2-3x per day).
Take A Multivitamin - Many times when you're sick, you lose your appetite. I know that when I'm sick, sometimes all I want is like a piece of bread. This leaves us at a risk of not getting our bodies the nutrients that they needs when they needs it most. I like taking a multivitamin to ensure that my body is getting what it needs to fight.
Take Turmeric - One of my all-time favorite natural anti-inflammatory foods, turmeric can be taken as a tea, in a pill form or eaten as a spice. I take this even when I'm not sick!
Take 2 Advil or Tylenol - These help with pain management (headache, aches, etc) and to reduce fever. I prefer not to take medicine if I can avoid it, but I'm personally comfortable with Advil.
Drink Herbal Tea With Lemon & Honey - Herbal teas have some amazing immune boosting and soothing properties. When combined with fresh lemon and honey, they can also help to ease your digestive tract.
Gargle With Salt Water - Grandma was right, it actually helps. The salt helps to sterilize the bacteria in your throat and the warm water helps to soothe your throat. This can help prevent or soothe sore throats, as well as prevent worsening symptoms when done multiple times a day.
Take Hot Showers - Open up those airways and wash all those germs away! Maybe it's just me, but I always feel better after a nice hot shower - especially when I'm sick.
Stretch - I do my best to try and stretch every day (I'd be lying if I said I stick with it 100% of the time lol). It does seriously help when it comes to sore muscles and aches and pains though. I recommend stretching after that nice hot shower and then drinking some tea and going to take a nap.
Get Lots Of Sleep/Rest - Did you guess this would be next? Your body does most of its kickassery while you're sleeping (it bolsters itself up as well as repairs itself - your body is incredible!). That's why it's important to give yourself the rest and sleep that you'll need to fight off the sickness and get back to your peak health!
*This is not official medical advice - always be sure to consult a doctor about the best plan for you*
Next time you're starting to feel under the weather, give this list a go. I can't promise it'll cure your symptoms, but I know that it's really helped me to get back on my feet more quickly!
Best of luck in your recovery, present or future, and know that I'm praying for you!
Sending love always,
J.S.