According to some recent reports I’ve read, there was a sudden spike in flu cases at the hospitals in Hawaii, and on the mainland. I got the flu on Christmas Day, but didn’t go to the hospital, so I didn’t contribute to those stats. I honestly don’t know how I got the flu. I’m not sure if I got it from one of my couples, or my friends, or family members.So the question is why do we get sick around the holidays? Is it the cold weather? Somewhat.
According to many medical scientist, germs and bacteria, do not live well in cold temperatures. But during the cold winter seasons, and the holiday season, human interaction goes up. I guess according to these scientists, shopping at the mall is the reason why I got the flu. Next year I’m being a scrooge. I’ll save money and I won’t get sick.
I guess other multi-million dollar question is that if there’s anything we can do to lessen the strength of the cold once we get sick. Listen, I’ve done the airborne thing, the load up on vitamin C thing, and the Zinc “Zertec” thing, and you know what; I don’t think none of them really help too much. I’ve even gotten the flu shot before. But that didn’t help either. The flu shot is purely a guessing game. If you don’t get immunized for the right flu, then it’s not going to help.
So is there an answer to stop the flu? Most likely no.
Is there is a way to weaken the flu once you get it? Well this non-medical doctor, me, says yes.
Personally, I have found out that fasting, especially a 24 hour fast, meaning you don’t eat anything, really helps shorten the flu. It won’t get rid of it, but it will surely shorten it or make the symptoms much weaker. (click here for an article on it) Before I started fasting, when I would get sick, I would really get sick. And since I had asthma, a common flu would hit my respiratory system hard, causing me to get some type of bronchitis for a month or two, and a very sore throat. Ever since I started fasting once I started to feel the symptoms come on, I stopped getting “as” sick. I still have a very slight cough right now, but before, I had to go to the hospital to get an asthma spray. Since I’ve fasted, my cough never developed into one of those nasty green mucus phlegm coughs and that’s a huge plus.
The theory behind fasting during the flu is actually a rather convincing scientific one. When we fast, our body’s defenses go up for the first 48 hours of the fast. Our body goes into what many say, “an emergency mode.” At the same time, viruses like the flu, which don’t have a defense mechanism, get weak. When you get sick, your appetite is usually the first to go. So if you just follow what you’re body is telling you to do, fast, you’ll most likely get well soon. Don’t eat, sleep, let your fever run most of it’s course unless it’s too high, and drink lots of water. It’s basically what your body is naturally telling you to do. Do this, and I promise you’ll get well faster than usual.
Many of my wedding couples who actually got sick on the flight over to Hawaii used this trick. And guess what? It worked. By their wedding day, which was two days after they landed, they were up and running full.
Well, I’m off to a wedding today (January 7, 2014). Yup, I still have a little cough, but it’s almost gone. I honestly think that if I didn’t fast, this flu would have been a really bad one.