Jan 14, 2017

Tips for Feeling Better Instantly While You're Recovering from the Flu

This year's flu is a beast. I was stricken with it earlier this week. The following tips will help you feel better during your active battle with the flu, while you're recovering, and immediately after.

During the worst of the fever and body aches, I found the following helpful:
  1. Drink tons of water. Fill a large bottle and take it to bed with you. Sip often; refill often.
  2. Rest and/or sleep. Due to the chills, you probably won't want to be anywhere other than snuggled down under your down comforter, anyway.
  3. Take an anti-viral. I am high-risk (asthma) so this was a no-brainer. I am taking this for the first time and was pleasantly surprised to find that I recovered extremely quickly from the flu. Call your doctor as soon as think you might have the flu and ask if taking an anti-viral is right for you.

As soon as I was able to muster the energy, the following helped me feel so much better instantly:
  1. Give yourself an abbreviated manicure. It's nearly impossible to smudge your polish when you're nearly motionless, anyway. All you need to do here for a quick manicure is to quickly file away jagged edges then apply a base coat, 1 color coat, and a longwearing top coat. Choose a color that makes you happy.
  2. Take a long, hot shower. Scrub your scalp with shampoo, condition your hair, exfoliate your face with an exfoliating scrub, and, if you're a woman, shave your legs, underarms, and bikini area. Trust me. You'll feel fabulous.
  3. Apply a self-tanning lotion. You're probably looking a little sallow. The self-tanner will give you a nice healthy glow, hiding the fact that you were recently on your deathbed. When you go back to work, you'll look so vibrant your coworkers will wonder if you were on a tropical mini-vacation rather than home taking sick days.
  4. Get dressed in comfy, cute clothes. They'll need to be comfy so that you can crawl back into bed at moment's notice but they also need to be cute. When you know you look good, you feel good.
  5. Light some candles. For no other reason other than they're pretty and relaxing. Bonus if they're scented.

When you have more energy, the following will help you move on, at least psychologically:
  1. Change the sheets on your bed (then burn them - just kidding!). Peel off those crusty sweaty sheets and replace them with fresh clean sheets. Prepare to sleep on cloud 9 that night.
  2. Disinfect your bathroom and kitchen. Wipe down light switches and door knobs with a disposable antibacterial wipe if you're feeling extra vigilant.
  3. Do some housekeeping. Pick up all the bits of wrappers, take the dirty glasses to the kitchen, wash the dishes, water the plants, vacuum, take out the trash, recycling, & composting, and start a load of laundry.
  4. Buy a new toothbrush. Better safe than sorry and when was the last time you changed your toothbrush, anyway?

Best wishes for a speedy recovery. To help prevent future illnesses, try Kick Ass Immunity. My doctor highly recommended it. (I'm placing an order now.)
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