How to Fight the Flu and Get Better Faster
Nausea. Fever. Headaches. Coughing. The symptoms of the flu are no fun, with some symptoms typically lasting upwards of two weeks. But you don’t have to suffer for long. If you are one of the hundreds of thousands of Americans who get the flu every year, there are specific things you can do today to fight the flu and heal your body faster.
How Long Do Flu Symptoms Last?
Most people start to recover quickly, with symptoms lasting approximately 10 days.
If you’re exposed to the influenza virus and get infected, flu symptoms usually start to appear within two to four days.
Common symptoms include fatigue, coughing, a runny nose, body aches and pains, headaches, fever, and gastrointestinal discomfort (i.e. diarrhea, nausea, etc.).
Most people start to recover quickly, with symptoms lasting approximately 10 days.
However, some symptoms — specifically fatigue, low energy and coughing — can last one to two weeks.
Don’t let the flu get you down and hold you back this flu season.
With the right lifestyle changes, dietary practices and healthy supplements, you can support a strong immune system and fight the flu virus so you recover faster than ever.
3 Ways to Reduce Your Symptoms, Fight the Flu and Get Back to the Life You Love
1. Enjoy Probiotics (Beneficial Gut Bacteria)
Kimchi (fermented Korean cabbage) isn’t just delicious. It’s also a probiotic. Probiotics help you feel less sick from the flu, speed up how fast you get over the flu, and get you back in the game faster.
In a meta-analysis of numerous studies, research published in the British Journal of Nutrition looked at the impact that probiotics had on how long a respiratory infection lasted. They found that regular use of probiotics resulted in:
- Fewer number of days of being sick
- Shorter periods of times during the day when someone felt especially sick
- Reduction in the number of sick days/absentee days away from work and school
To put it into more simple language, probiotics help you feel less sick from the flu, speed up how fast you get over the flu, and get you back in the game faster.
You can get your probiotics through supplements, as well as from a diet that includes probiotic-rich foods like:
- Fermented dairy (e.g. yogurt, kefir, etc.)
- Fermented vegetables (e.g. sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles)
- Fermented seasonings (e.g. natto, miso, etc.)
- Fermented drinks (e.g. kombucha)
- Fermented soy foods (e.g. tempeh)
Eating these foods when you’re sick can help to provide your body with the probiotics it needs to fight the flu faster. For example, you could start your day with cereal and yogurt. Then, sip some kombucha and add some fermented vegetables to your lunch. Finally, you could wind down from a long day with a soothing, hot bowl of savory miso soup.
2. Get Back to Nature
Elderberry extract helps to inhibit the replication of the influenza virus, and may have a direct antiviral impact on the flu so you get over being sick faster.
Mother nature’s pharmacy offers many healthy supplements and herbal remedies to help you fight the flu.
For example, researchers at the University of Sydney found that elderberry extract helps to inhibit the replication of the influenza virus, and may have a direct antiviral impact on the flu so you get over being sick faster.
Other well-studied, antiviral supplements that may help to speed recovery and reduce flu symptoms include:
Keep in mind that just because it’s natural doesn’t mean there aren’t considerations to taking them. Many herbal remedies may interact with other medications or supplements that you take. Always talk to a doctor or medical professional before self-treating your flu symptoms.
You may also want to support your immune system, and fight the flu, with thymic proteins. These proteins help your immune system respond to threats. BioProPlus-500 includes five bioidentical thymic proteins to support your immunity, and also includes the micronutrient zinc that works well with vitamin C to support full-body wellness and fight the flu.
3. Drink Some Soup
Researchers have found that drinking hot chicken soup may improve your flu symptoms faster, reduce inflammation, and balance your immune system’s response to viral infections.
Did your mother or grandmother make you a big pot of chicken soup when you were under the weather? There’s something to be said for old wives’ tales.
Researchers have found that drinking hot chicken soup may improve your flu symptoms faster, reduce inflammation, and balance your immune system’s response to viral infections.
Plus, drinking all that broth improves your hydration levels, which also speeds recovery.
You can further increase the benefits of your anti-flu soup by adding delicious ingredients that further support your immunity:
- Hot spices, such as cayenne, which may help clear your sinuses and ease respiratory symptoms
- Ginger, which reduces inflammation
- Vegetables like celery and kale, which add immune boosting antioxidants
BONUS: More Ways to Improve Flu Symptoms
Need more ideas? Don’t forget to:
- Increase the moisture in the air, such as taking a steamy shower or running a humidifier. This helps you breathe easier and may improve flu symptoms like coughing
- Do gentle exercises, like yoga, which helps circulate white blood cells
- Gargle with saltwater, which can help ease throat and sinus irritation
- Get extra rest