Its getting close to cold and flu season here in Australia. So if any one has any ideas or remedies on how to beat the flu or the common cold Please post your ideas here.

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Throat and Cough Remedies
Honey and Lemon Drink

Boiling the kettle and filling a cup with boiling water and adding a teaspoon of honey and a teaspoon of lemon juice is one of the most popular and widely used methods.

Taking a honey and lemon drink 3 times a day and especially around an hour before you go to bed should help you through the day and night.

Herbal Teas

Make your cup of tea as normal but don't add milk. a pinch of sage and a pinch of thyme to help ease the symptoms of coughing and a sore throat.

The sage acts as an antisceptic which kills germs and the Thyme inhibits the growth of microbes which thrive when you have a cold or flu, allow steeping for 30 minutes. Drink warm. This tea is good for soothing coughs, sore throats and tonsils, whilst also killing germs.

Water

Water or to be more exact Ice is a good way to relieve the pain of a sore throat, if you prefer you can add a little orange juice or lemon juice to the water before you put it in the freezer to give it more flavour.


Salt and Water

A teaspoon of salt added to a glass of water is another way to help a sore throat or a cough, do not drink it though, gargle in your mouth for around 30 seconds, this helps to break up Phlem easing the raspiness of coughing and throat pain.

Easing a Blocked or Runny Nose Naturally
Boiling the kettle and pouring the water into a mixing bowl adding a dash of eucalyptus oil and Menthol essential oils is a great remedy to clear the sinuses, put a dry towel over your head, lean toward the bowl and put the towel around the outside of the bowl, Breath in as deep as possible through your nose and breath out through your mouth.

Sleep Fluids and Warmth
The most natural remedy for colds and Flu is to take plenty of rest and drink plenty of fluids, keeping warm and cosy. when we suffer from Colds and Flu our bodies naturally crave warmth, rest and fluids and by ignoring our bodies messages we prolonge the life of the virus.



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The best way is TO PREVENT

There are several ways you can keep yourself from getting a cold or passing one on to others.
Because cold germs on your hands can easily enter through your eyes and nose, keep your hands away from those areas of your body
If possible, avoid being close to people who have colds
If you have a cold, avoid being close to people
If you sneeze or cough, cover your nose or mouth.
Handwashing
Handwashing with soap and water is the simplest and one of the most effective ways to keep from getting colds or giving them to others. During cold season, you should wash your hands often and teach your children to do the same. When water isn't available, CDC recommends using alcohol-based products made for washing hands.

Disinfecting
Rhinoviruses can live up to 3 hours on your skin. They also can survive up to 3 hours on objects such as telephones and stair railings. Cleaning environmental surfaces with a virus-killing disinfectant might help prevent spread of infection.

Vaccine
Because so many different viruses can cause the common cold, the outlook for developing a vaccine that will prevent transmission of all of them is dim. Scientists, however, continue to search for a solution to this problem.

Unproven Prevention Methods
Echinacea: Echinacea is a dietary herbal supplement that some people use to treat their colds. Researchers, however, have found that while the herb may help treat your colds if taken in the early stages, it will not help prevent them. One research study funded by the National Center for Complementary and alternative Medicine, a part of the National Institutes of Health, found that echinacea is not affective at all in treating children aged 2 to 11.

Vitamin C: Many people are convinced that taking large quantities of vitamin C will prevent colds or relieve symptoms. To test this theory, several large-scale, controlled studies involving children and adults have been conducted. To date, no conclusive data has shown that large doses of vitamin C prevent colds. The vitamin may reduce the severity or duration of symptoms, but there is no clear evidence. Taking vitamin C over long periods of time in large amounts may be harmful. Too much vitamin C can cause severe diarrhea, a particular danger for elderly people and small children.

The main way to keep from getting flu is to get a yearly flu vaccine. You can get the vaccine at your doctor's office or a local clinic, and in many communities at workplaces, supermarkets, and drugstores. You must get the vaccine every year because it changes.

Scientists make a different vaccine every year because the strains of flu viruses change from year to year. Nine to 10 months before the flu season begins, they prepare a new vaccine made from inactivated (killed) flu viruses. Because the viruses have been killed, they cannot cause infection. The vaccine preparation is based on the strains of the flu viruses that are in circulation at the time. It includes those A and B viruses (see Types of Flu Viruses) expected to circulate the following winter.

Sometimes, an unpredicted new strain may appear after the vaccine has been made and distributed to doctor's offices and clinics. Because of this, even if you do get the flu vaccine, you still may get infected. If you do get infected, however, the disease usually is milder because the vaccine will still give you some protection. (See Should You Get a Flu Shot?)

Until recently, you could get the flu vaccine only as an injection (shot). In 2003, however, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a nasal spray flu vaccine called FluMist that you can get from your health care provider. The FDA approved it for use in healthy people aged 5 to 49 years.

You should not use FluMist if :
You have certain lung conditions, including asthma, or heart conditions
You have metabolic disorders such as diabetes or kidney dysfunction
You have an immunodeficiency disease or are on immunosuppressive treatment
You have had Guillain-Barr� syndrome
You are pregnant
You have a history of allergy or hypersensitivity, including anaphylaxis, to any of the parts of FluMist or to eggs
Children or teenagers who regularly take aspirin or products containing aspirin also should not take FluMist.

Your immune system takes time to respond to the flu vaccine. Therefore, you should get vaccinated 6 to 8 weeks before flu season begins in November to prevent getting infected or reduce the severity of flu if you do get it. Because the flu season usually lasts until March, however, it's not too late to get it after the season has begun. The vaccine itself cannot cause the flu, but you could become exposed to the virus by someone else and get infected soon after you are vaccinated.


Although the flu vaccine is the best way to prevent getting the flu, four antiviral medicines also are available by prescription that will help prevent flu infection.
Tamiflu (oseltamivir)
Flumadine (rimantadine)
Symmetrel (amantadine)
Relenza (zanamivir)
Tamiflu, Flumadine, and Symmetrel may be used by children who are 1 year of age and older and adults. For adults and children 5 years of age and older, Relenza is used for prevention of flu.
These medicines help prevent the flu if you take them for at least 2 weeks during the outbreak of flu in your community.
You may use these medicines if you are in close contact with family members or others who have the flu.
You may use them if you are in close contact with people who have been vaccinated but whom you want to give added protection from getting the flu.
You may use them immediately following flu vaccination during a flu epidemic to protect you during the 2- to 4-week period before antibodies develop or when a flu epidemic is caused by virus strains other than those covered by the vaccine. (Antibodies are proteins from your immune system that protect you from the flu virus.)

Your health care provider can help you decide which medicine is best for you. You should discuss the flu vaccine and medicines with your health care provider before the flu season begins.


Good luck and wash your hands often Ozzie


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eat fresh salsa you can make in your blender with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, serrno chilies, salt and pepper. And I also juice oranges with my juicer. For some reason if I do that right when the cold comes, it tends to not be so bad. And lots of sleep. Quote

I suggest dating a hot nurse or doctor. Kimee is correct with the salsa and orange juices and sleep. Seems to always work for me. Quote

I suggest dating a hot nurse or doctor.


Although they would be just as likely to bring home some lovely infections to you from their patients. Bear that in mind.
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I know...the nurse and doctor was a joke Quote

socks, socks, socks

I cannot stress this enough. Do not walk around barefoot.

No matter the season, no matter what is ailing you, put on some socks and you will feel much better.

Laugh now but believe me later.

rock on party people Quote

Another good option:
Take vacation
Choose a warm and cozy corner of the earth
Buy a ticket )
And with a happy smile fly to rest


And you do not need to fight colds




I am cunning Quote

Lots and Lots of Milkie Hot Chockies with marshmallows.

Well its not actualy a remedy but it makes you feel good after haveing one. LOL Quote

Listening to stange songs

Kinks - Hay Fever

Sitting by my stereo all alone
My baby calls me on the telephone
She says, baby take me out for a dance
I tell my baby I feel so bad
I cant go out and its making me sad
But when you see me, I know you will understand

I got hay fever, blocking up my head
Hay fever, I ought to be in bed
How can I dance when I can hardly breathe
Wish I could cure this infernal allergy
I got, hay fever blocking up my brain
Hay fever, feel the sinus pains
And all the pills and the powders are in vain
Thought I was cured but here it comes again
It goes ooh-ah

The pollen counts getting higher and higher
My eyes are sore and my nose is on fire
My throats dry now and Im starting to perspire
My stuffed up heads killing all of my desire
I got hay fever, you wicked allergy,
Hay fever, you put the curse on me
And Ive inhaled every know remedy

I cant stay cool cos Im starting to sneeze
I cant make love when I cant hardly breathe
We start to dance and my nose starts to bleed
There must be a cure for this hay fever
Is there a pill or a powder I can take
I must get a cure, for my romance is at stake

Hey fever, you tore my image down
Hey fever, I must look like a clown
I must have used every tissue in town
Im running round sniffin like a hound
It goes ooh-ah

I wanna kiss but Im sneezin instead
I cant make love when my head feels like lead
How can I pose when my nose is all red
We should be home, should be tucked up in bed
But I got hay fever
Hay fever

Hay fever
Hay fever
Hay fever Quote

Its getting close to cold and flu season here in Australia. So if any one has any ideas or remedies on how to beat the flu or the common cold Please post your ideas here.



Well make sure you dont visit Mexico for starters Quote