Influenza viruses attack the respiratory system, from the nose and throat, down through the bronchial tubes, and into the lungs. In the 1918 flu pandemic, victims built up so much fluid in their lungs that they essentially died of drowning. Symptoms of flu are like those of a cold, except much worse, and they come on much faster. High fevers and chills are common, and there may be vomiting and diarrhea. It’s highly contagious.
Because most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning one day before their own symptoms develop (and up to 5 days after becoming sick), you can be in danger of becoming infected from someone else before you or the other person knows they are sick.
The Flu: A Good Excuse to Stay Home and Sleep
Most people are not in deadly danger from a flu virus (though occasionally a particularly potent virus emerges that puts vast segments of the population in danger, as it did in 1918). The usual treatment is plenty of bed rest, lots of fluids, and aspirin or Tylenol to reduce fever.
There are many flu home remedies:
* Vitamin C, zinc, garlic capsules. These supplements may be of limited value once you’ve got the virus, but they probably can do no harm. Recent studies have said that Vitamin C and zinc supplements show no effect in reducing symptoms.
* Drink tea that’s a mixture of 1 tsp. bayberry bark, 1 tsp. grated ginger root,
How to Get Rid of the Flu
06
Apr