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| Picture Courtesy of Rx-Press |
How Do You Flu?
So i was under the weather all week last week and let me tell you, there seems to be no cure for the summertime flu! I really thought i had escaped what had been billed the worst flu season in years unscathed. Nope!
Although there still may be no cure for the flu, there are a few remedies that i have tried over the years that seem to help me get over the flu in the most efficient way possible. Feel free to try any, all or none of these if you ever find your suffering with the symptoms of the flu.
**Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional nor have i received any formal or informal medical training. The following are only meant for edutainment purposes and to give a glimpse into how one random dude manages a common illness.
Symptoms
Remedy 1- The "Flu"ids
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| The Thirst Is Real |
I drink a lot when i'm sick. No, i don't mean alcohol, i mean pretty much everything else. Just about every other liquid other than alcohol is fair game when you have the flu although water, juices and tea (with lemon and honey!) are probably the best options. Sports drinks are okay, but don't over do it and the same goes for things like "Emergen C". The key is just staying hydrated so keep the fluids flowing.
Pro Tip: Throw in a hot toddy or two into your hydration strategy. Although alcohol isn't generally good for recovering from illness, in moderation, it can help you sleep a little bit better.
Remedy 2- Rest Up
Speaking of sleep, I'm constantly on my clients about getting enough sleep which i've talked about on more than one occasion here on this blog. Getting good sleep can often help you avoid getting sick in the first place. But if you do find yourself in the throes of the flu, rest is your best friend. And i'm not just talking about sleep either.
I try to exert as little energy as possible while flu-stricken because it allows my body to use all that extra energy to fight the virus wreaking havoc inside me. Sooo, I cancel meetings, phone calls and even avoid checking e-mails (for the most part ;-) while recovering. I walk more slowly when i do have to get off the futon and do everything else about 20% slower than normal for that matter. Resting in this case means conserving energy in anyway you can INCLUDING avoiding stress. Less stress= more rest!
Pro Tip: Don't leave the house unless you absolutely have to. This is good for the aforementioned reason of getting rest, but also aids in preventing the spread of your disgusting disease. Don't nobody want that sh!t hahaha!!!
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| Finally getting a chance to catch up on my shows! |
Remedy 3- Feed The Flu
Now my diet in general is pretty much all over the place. I normally only eat twice a day when i'm not sick and my diet can best be described as healthy with an unhealthy twist. That said, my go to when i'm sick is Chinese take out for it's convenience and how long it will last me. I usually get a large hot and sour soup and large spicy fried rice that will last me typically 2-3 days. The fewer meals i have to prepare, the better (see remedy 2).
Pro Tip: I like to put a sunny side up egg on my fried rice even when i'm not sick. If you're on the northside of Knoxville, my favorite greasy spoon Chinese place is Happy Garden on Cherry Street. Not the classiest joint, but the food is good and the bathrooms are clean!
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| Robert "The Mint" Plant and Optimus Prime approve! |
Remedy 4- The Meds
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| Can i get a remedy huh yeah! |
I usually go as light as possible on meds generally speaking whether over the counter or otherwise. I just don't like a bunch of chemicals flowing thru my blood stream doing God knows what. However i do make a few exceptions when i've got the flu. My go to's when i'm sick are usually NyQuil Liquid Caps, Afrin and Halls. The NyQuil is great right before bed and Afrin is good towards the end of the flu's run to clear out any remaining stuffiness.
Pro Tip: Do NOT over do it with the NyQuil and do NOT mix it with alcohol! I've had some pretty f*cked up lucid dreams mixing NyQuil with alcohol so take my word for it, they don't make good dance partners. Choose one or the other before going to bed and use both NyQuil and Afrin only as directed.
Remedy 5- Temperature Check
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| Digital thermometers? It must be the future! |
I check my temperature at least half a dozen times daily when i have the flu because it's the best gauge for how well the above remedies are working. This time around, my temperature spiked in the first day or two of the flu and then began gradually coming down. It spiked one last time prior to my fever finally breaking in the form of a bucket's worth of sweat.
By checking your temperature regularly throughout the illness, you can also see what activities cause it to rise and fall which is great data to have. If you're over exerting, your temperature will reflect that. If your temperature is in a more normal range, you know you can possibly knock out a couple of non-strenuous activities. Needless to say, this is great intel to have for recovering as quickly as possible and still managing some modicum of productivity.
Pro Tip: You might want to throw down a couple of towels in your bed in case your fever breaks while your sleeping. There's nothing worse than trying to get some sleep in a damp sweaty bed!
Final Word
If you follow my preferred remedies, you should be over the worst parts of the flu in 5-7 days although some symptoms tend to linger longer (i.e. cough, running nose, etc). The key is don't rush it and always give yourself more time than you think you'll need. The more in a hurry you are to get over the flu, the longer it will take. So relax, go slow and get plenty of rest. Life will still be waiting for you, i promise!
The Thirst Is Real
If you're anything like me, you have a serious thirst... for avocados! Avocados have been a staple in my diet for the last few years and i can't seem to get enough of them. Apparently i'm not the only one. The popularity of this exotic fruit has increased exponentially and while that's good for the public health-minded, it's not necessarily so good for the environmentally-minded.
According to Robin Shreeves writing for the blog Mother Nature Network, the avocado needs about 130 gallons of water to produce just one tasty, delicious, nutrient-rich avocado. "Throwing away one avocado would be like letting the shower run for more than an hour with no one in it." says Shreeves. On top of that, water resources in countries like Mexico have been diverted to feed the need for what is an increasing demand for this tropical treasure.
Now i'm not suggesting everyone give up eating avocados (i most certainly don't plan to!), but do at least be mindful of how many resources go into each one. Just make sure you aren't wasting them and maybe consider cutting 1 or 2 from your weekly diet. Remember, for each avocado wasted, 130 gallons of water just goes straight down the drain.
Of the Moment
DVR
Since i've had so much time in the last week to just lay around, i've had a chance to catch up on some of my favorite shows. One of those shows just started its third season and it's called Animal Kingdom (Tuesday nights @9 EST on TNT).
First of all, no, it isn't the latest greatest nature series. It's a crime drama that i'm pretty sure i've written about before on this blog if that says anything. Basically the show centers on a fairly non-traditional crime family led by ruthless matriarch Janine Cody aka "Smurf" (played by talented Ellen Barkin). She has 4 sons (one adopted) who together plan and execute high-risk, high-reward criminal heists. It is a gritty, raw and jarring tale and i can't seem to get enough!
They welcome a 6th member of the team when Smurf's grandson Josh aka "J" (played by British actor Finn Cole) who's mother dies at the beginning of the first season. J is sent to be raised by Smurf and she welcomes him with open arms... for nefarious reasons of course. Her other sons aren't to thrilled to have him around though seeing him as a threat to their share of the family's ill-gotten spoils.
This season promises to be just as good as the last if the first episode of the season is any indication. And since we're only on episode 2 of season 3, it's not too late to get into this one. It's definitely worth it. Oh yeah and Dennis Leary is joining the cast this season so things should get even more interesting!
Song/Album
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| Courtesy of Global Positioning Services |
I was thinking of only one album and one song in particular while i was laid up recovering from the flu. The song is "Fred Astaire" and it's on Jukebox The Ghost's most recent album Off To The Races. While the song is great, the whole album is outstanding. In fact, Fred Astaire isn't even my favorite track!
I've talked about JTG before on this blog after growing fond of their 2012 release "Safe Travels". For a band that was unbeknownst to me until roughly 2 years ago, they have an extremely deep catalog. But their most recent release is just as good as "Safe Travels" in my book which means these guys are still picking up steam. They are piano rock at its finest. Enjoy!
Fortune Cookie Wisdom
"Our brightest blazes of gladness are commonly kindled by unexpected sparks."
Stay tuned for more BlogOZphere! In upcoming posts i'll be writing about my first trip to Bonnaroo, Perfection vs Precision, Facts About Russia and providing an update on Puerto Rico from Rosa Rodriguez! As always, thank you for reading my blog!
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