Natural Ways to Fight the Flu

Again!? Yea, again. I don't know about you, but right now our family is coming down with colds/flu. Sometimes it just stays nice and mild and won't spread too bad. But other times, it practically explodes it contagious self across your entire city.
Maybe even a few states? Yea, one time we got sick at the same time as our cousins in Germany and a few states across the country.
Weird.
Anyways, you want to nip it in the bud. But at times, no matter what you try, the sickness ambushes your body. Their are natural tips and tricks across the web; but what is actually possible? Well, I'm the kind of person that has trouble putting habits into place and keeping them unless there is present the right drive. So what have I done?
I'm going to explain each thing scientifically so it makes sense and doesn't just seem like an old wives' tale.

Chicken Soup???

Supposedly, chicken broth or soup is supposed to help. 

IT ACTUALLY DOES!!!

But you have to do it right.

Just a bouillon cube thrown into a cup of microwaved water isn't going to cut it. You have to actually boil the bones of a chicken carcass to get that good joint tissue to dissolve into your broth. Adding garlic can help too because it's an immune system boost. I can prove that by saying one time when I had a cold that refused to end, I ate an entire clove and in the next day or two I was back to normal!

Test have been done to say that if you are to sick to cook, you can grab a can at the store and heat it up too. Making sure there are plenty of vegetables hikes up your soup on health meter too. When you're sick, all the vitamins, water, and energy is getting used up so you really need to fill up on all that. On your way out of store stocking up on decongestant, chickens soup, 25 bags of cough drops, make sure to grab a bottle of green V8 or something like that. We have one that we get from Aldi's that is literally made for immune support. It's crammed with kale, cucumber, and like 37 other awesome ingredients that are perfect for a sick body.
Guess what???
It also TASTES AMAZING!!!
Just do it.

Vitamins, and take them seriously. 

For me, taking vitamins and supplements regularly is really difficult. Now, it's a whole other ball game if it's in chewable form. That way, I don't have to go and get a cup of water, a piece of bread or other food to eat with the pill, or have them get stuck in my throat. 

So go chewy.

I do take some pills though, and they are the soft-gels.

So the ones I take are not the same as the one's you should take, because it's too much for me to remember. But I'll list them all anyway.

1. Vitamin C is the one you should take if no other! It is the key to boosting your immune system and has been used for years. It fights the bacteria or virus, so imagine that the more you take it, the more you add to the sickness-fighting army.
2. Of course I'm going to suggest a multivitamin. You need to pack your body with backups of extra vitamins so it doesn't become even more weakened from loosing them while fighting a sickness. 
3. The next thing is this drink called Emergen-C you can buy it here. It is the ultimate blast-your-body with immune-supporting vitamins drink! The thing is, there are multiple flavors which are  GROSS so you have to get the orange flavor, which ends up just tasting like Tang. The others are totally gag. In fact, when my dad used to drink the grapefruit flavored one, I would get a pukey feeling every time he passed by with it. So get the exact one on the link, which you can also find at the store. Also, make sure to get immune-support, not the other various vitamin concoctions. Believe me, we've bought the wrong one a few to many times! This drink is ideal for when you are traveling and don't want to lug a 23 different supplement bottles with you, or in between meals when you can't take food with them.
4. Zinc is the worst and the best at the same time. Especially if you have a cold because it's sometimes in lozenges. It can pretty hard on your intestines if you don't eat food with it, and if it float around in your mouth too long while you're trying to swallow it, you'll gag in the process from the taste. Anyway, it is proven to really help fight infections, so I highly suggest this ally in your flu battle. 

Remember to take these with food, just so you don't upset your stomach. If you take Emergen-C you don't need to take any extra of the vitamins it includes. You can see what's in it on the back. There are more you can take that aren't here because I just do the basics.

Steaming showers...

This is the best part. There's really nothing better than to take a long steaming shower to clear your nasal passages out. While you're in there, blow all your snot out; if needed, you can sprinkle eucalyptus essential oil around to open up your nose! 

It's really such a relief, I promise you.

About Tissue

Do make sure you but tissue with lotion in it! I'm telling you, it really helps. It may say aloe or moisturizer, but you get the big idea. That poor patch of skin under the nose really suffers from all the rubbing!

Under all costs, DON'T leave snot-filled tissue all over the place! It's one of my pet peeves, picking up other's grimy tissues off my desk.

Why were they sitting there anyway? I mean seriously.

But down to the scientific reason. Snot is full of germs that your body is trying to get rid of, so your tissue is therefore infected with it. As you can see, not taking care of your tissue pile before you leave the room can enhance flu virus reproduction. 

You know, snot on tissue touches table, snot on tissue sits there and annoys sister. Sister flings snot on tissue across the room. Snot on tissue touches floor, brother steps on snot on tissue. Brother touches foot, brother touches eye. Virus enters body.

or

Snot on tissue touches table, you (already infected) grab snot on tissue and throw it away. End of story.

The Rest of the List Because I'm Tired of Titling Things:

• Sleep well and don't go to bed especially late or wake up especially early. If you're having trouble sleeping, take a nighttime cold and flu medicine because it'll have the same affect as benadryl does; take medicine, sleep. Then during the day, make sure to take a daytime syrup or you'll just napping instead feeling better!
• Eat healthy and avoid sweets or junk food. You can replace it with yummy healthy food like your favorite veggies, berries, and smoothies! This is to strengthen your body instead of break it down by making it digest and handle crap.
• Don't just ignore your sickness and plow through life. You can cancel things because your sick, and it's not a public disgrace! Let the dishes go and the laundry pile. You'll get get more house cleaning done by leaving for 3 days and doing it all on one day when you're better, than doing it while you're sick for 2 weeks, eventually getting so sick you have to go to the doctor who of course forces you to rest and leave your mess alone.
• Sometimes walking around can get your nasal passages running, so you don't have to lounge around watching 17 episodes of one show. 
• Make sure to wash your hands even if you are already sick, because the same thing happens with the germs from your eyes, mouth, and nose as with my nasty tissue story. And if you are miserable enough yourself, be kind enough not drag the people around you down too!

Oh and by the way, I did get the flu in the end. But by taking my own advice, my symptoms have been way less worse than some of the other family members!