Disclaimer

This article offers several ideas that may be of benefit but do not constitute as a full solution to a medical condition.

Sick

So you are feeling sick, got the flu, or are generally run down.

It is quite possible that all sickness is due to rogue viruses attacking your system. These viruses cause free radicals to bombard your immune system and draw energy from you.

That is one possible take but it does provide an idea on self help health.

Here are the top ten things you may like to try. We do not include visiting your doctor here but this should be your top consideration based upon the severity of your condition.

1: Identify and remove the cause

Can you work out why you got sick? If so can you remove the issue from your life or has it been removed?

2: Hydrate and avoid sugar

Sugar is not a health food. Sugar will spike your insulin and add calories to your diet. You may feel a momentary benefit from drinking soda pop, but this is short lived as your blood glucose count goes up, insulin levels raise and your body switches into a fat storage state.

Drink bottled mineral water and eat fruit. You don't need to overdo it and you can also make many healthy drinks such as:

• Lemon, Ginger and honey (not too much honey)
• Tea (Green Tea or normal Tea)
• Soda water (no sugar)

You do not need a lot of water (the myth of 2/3 litres a day is an oversaturation), and avoid salty foods which naturally cause you to dehydrate. Just a regular intake, sip or two every 10 to 30 minutes.

3: Get rid of environmental issues

Your repair system is going to need to use what energy it has to focus on repairing you so avoid energy losses.

If you have a chill, your body is going to use energy to try to maintain body temperature. Eliminate the chill.

• Is there a draught?
• Are your clothes cotton of synthetic? Are the keeping you at a constant body temperature?
• Wear sox.
• Put a hat on.
• Climb in a sleeping bag
• Go to bed.
• Avoid gas fires as these are not actually good for you. The burning gas has poisons that can affect you.
• Get comfortable

4: Probiotics

Increase your intake of probiotics. Probiotics can improve your gut health. An improved gut health is going to increase the nutrient uptake from the foods you eat.

Probiotics are going to help you recover faster. 

If you take penicillin this may affect your good bacteria count in to digestive system.

Definitely increase probiotics for 3 months during and after your course to return your good bacteria to normal levels

5: Eat little and often

The more live food you can take on, the more benefit you will gain from your food.

Live food as in fruit, vegetables, green leafy items.

Avoid bad foods such as sugar based items and flour based products.

However, sometimes when you are sick it is nice to have treats. These are ok but keep it in some kind of balance. Jam toast where the toast is whole grain. Use butter instead of margarine. Include a vegemite toast as well.

Reduce salt but do not eliminate it all together. Salt is important in your diet as it helps improve your hydration and mineral values. Rock salt is probably better than just table salt.

Your physical activity is going to reduce as you recover so you can reduce your food intake. Eat little and often.

6: Phlegm

If you have Phlegm, get rid of it and dont swallow it. Phlegm is actually your body's way to grab bad bugs and push them out of your system.

Be safe with phlegm. Do not spit it into areas where other people can be affected by it. Best to put it in a tissue and flush it down the toilet.

7: Allow time

Sickness has four phases:

1. The beginning phase where you can feel you are getting sick
2. The full sickness phase where you are fully sick
3. The recovery phase where you can feel yourself getting better
4. The post recovery phase where you are better but are still actually recovering

You must allow time to get better. This may require you to take adequate time off work. Don't feel guilty about it, it's just part of being a human being.

8: Aspirin, Paracetamol...

Anti-inflammatory drugs such as paracetamol and aspirin inhibit your body's own ability to fix itself. However if you have not specifically focused on a good diet previously, you may need to take anti-inflammatories.

You should know which over the counter anti inflammatory drug you can take.

Make sure to take them in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. If you are aching, take them. It will help.

Once you no longer ache, eliminate using them.

Research natural anti-inflammatories and introduce them into your diet.

9: Rest

When you are sick, rest is a must. Allow your body full access to your energy stores so that it can repair itself.

Look out for your eyes and avoid eye strain from reading, watching smartphone apps, and prolonged staring without blinking.

You may like to get eye drops or even rinse your eyes daily with eye wash.

10: Once you are better, recover

Once you are clear of your sickness, recover properly.

Gently exercise every day for 1 month and rebuild muscles, flexibility and stamina

Within 1 hour of exercise, eat/drink a recovery meal of 20% protein and 80% carbohydrate. Your body can uptake these nutrients and improve your repair

Eat green for 3 weeks. Green foods will flush out your blood and digestive systems and help complete your repair.

Maintain consumption of natural probiotics

And most of all, remember why you got sick and incorporate habits that can help you avoid becoming sick again.

Health is usually improved by:

1. Minimising and Eliminating Free Radicals
2. Eating Healthy
3. Cardio and Muscular Exercise
4. Quality Sleep
5. Eliminate Bad Habits
6. Mindfulness and Mental Rest

It's a daily process.