How to Prevent the Flu? For Survivalists in an Emergency

It’s a bummer to get a cold or flu. Those types of flu that give you the aches and fever that prevent you from getting out of bed. These types of colds are the ones that just mess up your week. If you are a survivalist, or prepper and an emergency strikes, you likely won’t be able to think straight, let alone act to save yourself or your family during times of emergency.

While a shot can eliminate a number of strains of flu, not everyone is pro-vaccine, nor can a vaccine prevent them all. 

In that case, the best thing you can do is prevent the flu from getting into your system in the first place. Below are a few tips that just might make you better.

How to Prevent the Flu? 8 Things You Can do to Stop Getting a Cold

1. Keep your immune system strong. This is the single most effective means to prevent you from not only getting a flu but having it turn into something worse. You can do this by eating a well-balanced diet, and getting regular exercise. Although this isn’t the time try a new fad diet or to try and become an Ironman. Get lots of sleep, and try and reduce the number of stress factors in your life (as much as possible).

2. Try a natural remedy. In this day in age, there are thousands of remedies out there. Admittedly some are better than others, while others are just marketing ploys. Vitamin C has a great ability to boost the immune system, has very few side effects and is cheap enough not to break the bank. Oregano oil is another alternative remedy that has a powerful antiviral effect, recommended by the Journal of Applied Microbiology to reduce the effects of a cold.

3. Do you actually have the flu or is it a cold? It’s sometimes difficult to tell the difference between the two without performing a flu test. However, with a typical cold, you may have a runny nose, headache, muscular pains, cough, and runny nose. Whereas the flu might actually have all the above symptoms, you will likely feel 10x worse, your temperature will be higher and you likely feel like you lost a boxing match. Knowing the difference means that you can be more proactive, especially when considering the option to consult your Doctor. A prescription for antivirals can help reduce symptoms and aid recovery. While this may not be everyone’s route, if you have other chronic conditions, serious flu can be very debilitating.

4. Wash your hands, stay home, and keep your distance. You’re not doing yourself or anyone else any favors if you go to work and expose everyone to your flu germs. The flu is one gift that’s never appreciated.

5. Take Fluids. Drink fluids and keep yourself hydrated. And yes that also means chicken soup, which is a proven virus fighter.

6. Take meds. Acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Motrin or Aleve), or Naproxen (Aleve) are great to reduce inflammation, fever, and reduce aches and pains. Take a decongestant if you are stuffed up, an antihistamine if you have a bad runny nose, and cough medicine with dextromethorphan if needed. (Don’t take aspirin if you think you have the flu. If you’re 18 years old or younger, it increases your risk of the potentially deadly Reye’s syndrome.)

7. See the Doctor. Don’t be afraid to go to the Doctor. Especially if you’re short of breath, can’t keep fluids down, or start becoming confused. Headaches and a stiff neck are common symptoms of the flu, but if the headaches become excruciating or you have severe pain with moving your neck, go.

If you can’t get to a medical facility, because you are stuck in an environment far away from civilization or are in a survival scenario, then having a few backup plans will help to keep your body functioning until medical attention is possible. Keep yourself hydrated, do not overstrain yourself, take your temperature regularly, and take meds if you have any, as well as any Vitamin D or Zinc (which are also proven to help reduce the effects of a cold).

8. Don’t risk it. One last thing to take into consideration is the flu often leads to a secondary infection. This is one of the reasons to take care of yourself with all of the above—to keep from getting one.

One typical scenario is that you start feeling better. Maybe even the fever is gone. Then, wham, you start feeling as bad as or worse than ever. In that case, get yourself to the Doctor. You may be getting a secondary bacterial infection that needs antibiotics.

You name the infection and it can happen. For example, you may be getting pneumonia—with or without much of a cough. If you can’t, you need to at least know what to do for that pneumonia, which is one of the most dangerous reasons for relapse.

Have you ever had the full-blown flu? Any complications? What did you do?

References

  1. Self-Care for Common Colds:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29853961/
  2. Antiviral efficacy and mechanisms of action of oregano essential oil and its primary component carvacrol against murine norovirus, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24779581/

Photo credit: pixabay

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