8 ways to recover quicker from being ill
If you've fallen ill at the hands of a cold or flu infection recently, you might be keen to get back to your old self as quickly as possible, and quite rightly so. Some tips from me to help you feel better, quicker, are as follows:
1. Rest and recover
2. Sleep well
3. Drink enough liquids
4. Hot drinks may work especially well
5. Salt water for gargling?
6. Honey – does it help?
7. Chicken soup is a must
8. Employ the appropriate remedies
I give my low-down on some of the popular advice, and explain what works and how you can make it even more beneficial.
1. Rest and recover
Taking the time to rest and recover is crucial if you haven't been well but some people, depending on their home or work life, may really struggle with this. However, if you don't, in the long run, you could end up worse-off, so don't be afraid to ask for some help during this time to ensure you are able to take some proper down-time.
You see, doing too much rushing around will only stress your body further (as does extensive exercise!) as your body simply can't take the time it needs to repair and recuperate whilst it's stressed.
From a practical point of view, even if you get over this initial bug, if any of your tissues or your immune system aren't back to their full potential, it could lead the way for more bugs to break down your defenses and cause illness once more. We call these secondary infections - not nice at all, but they can more easily be prevented if we just take the time to get better the first time around.
2. Sleep well
You don't necessarily need to sleep during the day – just take it easy - but what you really must try and do, is sleep well come night time. Sleep is when the proper repair work really begins, particularly in the early stages of your sleep cycle, so heading to bed at a reasonable time is a no-brainer.
Sufficient sleep will not only help get on top of this infection, but it will also help to encourage the immune system to operate at its best going forward.
3. Drink enough liquids
Keeping properly hydrated is a must, especially if you've had any digestive upset which some viruses, in particular, are famous for. However, even if you haven't had too much tummy turmoil, fevers can mean you are at a greater risk of dehydration, plus, with a depleted appetite you might not be consuming enough water through food sources, as you normally would.
So, stick to plain water which is gentlest on your system and the best bet for getting your hydration status back to normal. You could always add some herbs or some citrus slices for an extra dose of vitamin C and some flavour, if you liked.
4. Make it hot
As well as the plain water which is a given, there may also be room for a more soothing, warming option when it comes to drinks. Now, I'm sure you'll also be delighted to know that this isn't just for comfort, but there may also be some therapeutic benefits in opting for warm drinks. Cleverly, the steam produced from warm drinks helps to dilate both airways and blood vessels in and around the nose and mouth. This, in turn, facilitates your breathing, plus, presumably it allows immune cells to come in and do their job.1 Interestingly, this may also be the reason that showers are so helpful if you're feeling under the weather – hurray for all that warm steam.
Now, back to drinks. So, if you're keen to go the extra mile when it comes to your warm drinks, why not opt for a therapeutic, yet warming option?
My Self-Care Tip: Have a warm drink to help support your recovery from illness
Here I explain how as backed by science, a warm drink could help you recover from cold and flu symptoms.
My personal favourite warming drink is Echinaforce Hot Drink (as mentioned in my video above) which contains an impressive combination of Echinacea and Elderberry – perfect for helping fight off any current infections.
5. Salt water too?
Gargling salt water is a well-known old wives' tale for treating a sore throat – so, is there any truth in it? Hmm, so, good quality salt may have some anti-septic properties to offer but, in reality, nowadays there are probably some better options available.
Our Echinaforce Sore Throat Spray, for one, combines Echinaforce with Sage which is a clever combination for tackling a niggling sore throat. Get in quick though. Did you know that many infections, including coronaviruses, may start in the throat? So, if we can work on squashing them early, they may not be so able to spread!
6. Honey
Honey is yet another old wives' tale that we may turn to if we're feeling a bit under the weather. A splash of honey in a cup of herbal tea will not only offer a healthier source of quick-release energy, but it can also potentially have some mild health benefits to offer as honey boasts some lovely anti-bacterial properties. However, to really benefit from that, you'd most likely need to opt for Manuka honey, and be sure to check out the 'Manuka factor rating' before you buy.
Again, depending on your symptoms, the Echinaforce Sore Throat Spray may be a quicker-acting, and more convenient alternative or, if it's your nose that's bothering you, why not opt for Sinuforce nasal spray instead?
7. Chicken soup
After you've ensured you're drinking enough, your mind may turn to food, but what's best to eat if you've been feeling under the weather? Depending on your symptoms, it might be best to play it safe and go for something like good old chicken soup.
If you can muster up the energy to get into the kitchen, I'd really urge you to do that or, even better, get someone to help! In order to help regain your strength, homemade really is best in this instance.
A nice batch of homemade soup has the potential to help support your recovery in a number of ways. Firstly, if you're making your soup with some meat, this will give you a good dose of protein, which is crucial for restoration and repair. Of course, there are also some good veggie sources of protein such as beans, rice and lentils. However, using the bones from meat also gives you the chance to reap the benefits from some 'bone broth'. When slow-cooked for some time, this unique broth made from bones is particularly soothing for the gut and, again, can help to repair any damage that has previously been done by rampaging bacteria or viruses. Plus, we all know that much of our immune system lies in the gut so any help in that department is most certainly welcome.
Finally, making your own soup allows you to add as many fresh veggies as your heart desires. Personally, I'd opt for some vitamin A-rich root veggies such as carrots or butternut squash, plus a nice handful of greens at the end of cooking, such as spinach or kale, to add an all-important dose of vitamin C and iron.
8. Remedies explained
As well as all the useful home habits, we're also often keen to add in a proper remedy, just to give us peace of mind that the bug causing us so much dismay has definitely been dealt with.
As above, it can be a welcome relief to tackle some of the more acute symptoms, such as a sore throat or blocked nose, with the likes of Echinaforce Sore Throat Spray or Sinuforce Nasal Spray. For some more generic, all-round and immune system support, remedies can generally be split into three categories: vitamins & minerals, herbal remedies and conventional. Below I reveal my top picks for each:
- Vitamins & Minerals – For our immune system to be working optimally we really need a good, regular daily dose of some essential vitamins and minerals. Nutrients, in particular, that we need in sufficient amounts to support a flagging immune system include vitamins C & D, plus zinc. All of these are handily found in our Immune Support.
- Herbal remedies – Whilst the Hot Drink or Sore Throat Spray can be winners depending on your symptoms, for me, a good all-rounder is the Echinaforce tincture. This can help to tackle a number of the symptoms created by pesky cold or flu viruses, plus it has the added benefit of providing some on-going immune protection.
Relieve colds & flu symptoms by strengthening the immune system
• Made from organically grown, fresh extracts of Echinacea purpurea
• Relieves the symptoms of cold & flu by strengthening the immune system
• Multi-award winning and available in drops and tablets
"Marvellous stuff - I take it all the time."
- Conventional – Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you may eventually turn to some conventional options. Throat syrups, cough medicine, nasal sprays and painkillers will all be readily available from your local pharmacy, but just be sure to always ask if you're unsure what might be suitable.
References
1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19145994/
