Stress and Illness:Double Trouble
Sometimes stress gets the best of me. Everything I’ve learned about managing it flies right out out the window. Mindfulness, deep breathing, rubber band on your wrist popping, forget it!
Your immune system gets torn up if you have sustained stress for even short periods of time.
I don’t take the Influenza vaccine and haven’t since being forced to in the military. Within 3 weeks of being vaccinated I came down with a bad case of Strep Throat! I’d not had Strep prior to being vaccinated, following that instance, I got it 3 more times within a 3 year period. I find that odd!
The immune system is the body’s system of defense against disease. Leukocytes hunt and kill pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, worn-out body cells, and even cells that have become cancerous. They recognize invading pathogens by their surface fragments known as antigens.
A weakened immune system increases susceptibility to many illnesses, including the common cold and the flu. It may also increase the risk of developing chronic diseases, including cancer.
I got sick this week and its rare for me. Fever, sore throat, awful cough, congestion, and headache. I don’t know whether it’s flu or an upper respiratory infection. It doesn’t really matter because either is miserable.
Flu season is raging like a wild fire much earlier then in previous years and the vaccine is not very effective for this particular strain. Other serious strains are also emerging this season which is a bit unusual.
''Influenza A virus''', transmission electron micrograph of negatively stained virus particles in late passage. Dr. Erskine Palmer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Public Health Image Library'', 1981.
The “Respiratory Syncytial Virus” is often mistaken for the Flu and tends to affect older people and young children. RSV is a common cause of severe respiratory illness and even death in the elderly.
Protect yourself from this years strains of Flu whether or not you believe in vaccinations.
Precautions
First and foremost is hand washing! Not just rinsing your hands but through washing with soap and very warm water, as hot as you can stand it, even between your fingers. Scrub your nails with a nail or vegetable brush.
Try not to stress about anything, whatever it is it can wait. Easy for me to say!
Do NOT rub or touch your eyes, mouth or nose with any portion of your hands.
Stay away from others who are not well or have symptoms.
Avoid crowds and enclosed spaces if possible.
Don’t use hankies, use tissues to blow your nose.
Cover your mouth if you sneeze or cough.
If you feel sick, please stay home and don’t bring it to work!
It’s a myth that everyone runs a fever with the Flu, not everyone does.
Get some Lysol spray
If you run a high fever for more then a couple of days see a doctor.
Remedies
If you should get the Flu or feel like your coming down with it make sure you do these simple things.
Bed rest
Stay warm
Drink lots of fluids and clear liquids like soups, broth, and Gatorade.
Use Tylenol to lower fever, not aspirin or NSAIDs!
High does of Vitamin C (2000 mg) at a minimum if your stomach can handle it twice daily. I use a powdered form mixed with liquids.
Gargle with salt water several times daily if you have a sore throat.
Comfort Measures
Vick’s Vapor Rub works great if you rub it on the chest and place a heated soft towel on the chest. It needs to be moist heat, not the heating pad.
Chicken Soup - any kind will do.
Make Hot Ginger tea
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, cut into thin slices
3 cups water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons local honey
Boil the water and add the ingredients, drink it 2 to 3 times daily.
Curl up with a good book or browse steemit.
Take a nap, sleep is good. Make like a Koloa.
"Make like a Koala" - I love it! All good reminders and great info - thanks :) It is also important to remember that even "positive stressers" can have a negative impact on your immune system also. Do you ever use zinc while coming down with a sore throats? It does wonders but it upsets my stomach so I have to stay away from it.
You’re most welcome. Great point about zinc usage, I used the nasal type once and regretted it.🐓
What was your regret with the nasal spray? I've never even seen it :)
It stopped up my nose, very annoying. It was more like a gel rather then a spray.😉
Yuk!
As I understand it, the zinc provides a slick surface where the bugs cannot attach to as easily. I hope it works for you!
Whatever it is sure has a kick to it. The illness that is. I hope you are back to feeling good by now. Slow response time. All of this has really helped me to feel better. Much love. ❤️🐓🐓
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I can see why stress lowers immune system, it makes sense. I do have to manage my own stress levels, but i have to say, i' ve got a very good immune system. A healthy outdoor life, no antibiotics, a good knowledge of herbal remedies, bit of luck. That all does it for me.
Great advice, @mother2chicks! couldn't have said it any better. I don't do flu or pneumonia vaccines either, but the health department here are pushing the hard. They don't like it when I say no...
Stress, for a short time, to complete a job, for example, isn’t doing any harm. The problem is when your stresslevel is for a longer period high.
Nice post!
Greetings,
Ray #lifeisforliving
Just recovered from a bad, bad flu! I wish you had written this 10 days ago :D. Although, I did curl up with a good book and also browsed Steemit!
I wish you a speedy recovery and send you you all my love always! :)
Being sick is scary as you get older and with all these new flu strains we have to be extra careful. The hepatitis outbreak here is ridiculous!
I am sorry you are not feeling well at the moment. Cuddle up with your fur-family and take it easy my friend. 😘😘
Vitamine D! Get out in the sunshine and spin around. :) Even in the winter it doesn't take much sun to skin contact to get a healthy dose. Since we moved to New Zealand from Britain we have gone from having a new cold every few weeks to maybe once a year being sick for a few days. In Britain, like so many others, we lived indoors with the central heating incubating the bugs. Yuk. Never going back to that. Outdoors life ftw! Of course, the sun is very strong here so now we have to take other precautions not to get too much. Especially Wench with her Scottish blue tan. :)
Wise words, a relaxed person it less likely to get ill for sure. Interesting I have a friends who's brother is a GP and there are thousands of strands of flu each year the big Pharm guess which strand will be more common and vaccinate against that one, and watch the money roll in.
I have ha proper flu once in my life and surprise it was the only time I have been made to have the vaccination, never again! Hope your back on top of the world now :) 💯🐒