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Manage stressHere is simple and easy to follow advice on how to get ahead of the cold and flu season.
They are respiratory illnesses that are caused by viruses. The difference lies in the type of viruses that cause them, and the symptoms they cause in the body.
‘The flu’ is caused by influenza viruses. There are four types of flu viruses including A, B, C and D. It is generally the influenza A and influenza B viruses that cause the seasonal flu outbreaks each year.
Colds are caused by other types of viruses. These are typically caused by adenoviruses, common cold coronaviruses, parainfluenza viruses and rhinoviruses.
The term ‘COVID’ is used to describe an infection with SARS-CoV-2 which is one of the more serious coronaviruses and responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.
The cold, flu and COVID viruses infect the respiratory systems through the eyes, mouth and nose, and cause infections in the respiratory tract, and all the interleading passageways including the ears, lungs, nose, and throat.
Sometimes, a bacterial infection may result in similar symptoms or occur as a secondary infection following the initial viral phase.
Colds, flus or COVID are respiratory illnesses, and they are acquired through the mucosal membranes in our eyes, lungs, mouths, and noses, and by being close to those who are already ill and infectious.
Colds and flu viruses tend to peak during the autumn and winter months; typically, between end-April to end-July in South Africa. Although we consider them to be seasonal, cold and flu outbreaks can happen any time of the year.
The short answer is that prevention is always better than cure. Good health is an ongoing journey and should be embraced holistically. It isn’t somewhere that we suddenly arrive. What we mean is that good health needs to be considered consistently through the choices that we make every day, in every way.
During winter, we tend to hibernate indoors, and our wholesome habits fall by the wayside. It’s best to get into a healthy routine before the colder months arrive.
Strengthen your immune system by staying in balance and try to make sure that you:
Flu symptoms tend to be more severe than cold symptoms. They appear more suddenly and include higher fevers. The flu can be debilitating. If left untreated, it may lead to something more serious like pneumonia. Sometimes diarrhoea or vomiting are also symptoms of the flu. Dry coughs, chills, fatigue, high fevers, headaches, muscle pain and aching joints, sore throat and foggy brain are common symptoms of the flu.
Colds tend to develop more gradually, and typically start with a sore throat which then spreads to the nasal passages leading to congestion. Sometimes earache might develop before the infection spreads to the lungs. Milder fevers, wetter and chestier coughs, sneezing, and runny noses are typical symptoms of a cold. Dark mucus tends to develop as the infection develops.
The quickest way to distinguish between the two is to take your temperature. A cold very rarely results in a temperature over 38.5 degrees Celsius.
You are most contagious within the first three-to-four days after displaying symptoms. If you are recovering that means that your body is producing antibodies and is fighting the infection.
It is better not to be around the vulnerable such as people with compromised or immature immune systems during this time such as the very young and elderly. If you are still coughing and sneezing, you are spreading the virus. Babies and children are still building up antibodies and might be contagious a little longer.
Complications are typically secondary bacterial infections which occur shortly after the initial viral illness.
A typical complication is acute bronchitis. This is inflammation of the connecting tubes of the lungs. They get swollen and inflamed because of a bacterial or viral infection. Most of the time, it is caused by a secondary bacterial infection.
As a result, these tubes produce a lot of mucus as they try to get rid of the invaders. You tend to have a deep and persistent rattling cough as well as a fever. Fatigue, mild headaches, a tight chest, and difficulty breathing are also common symptoms.
Pneumonia is another typical complication. It can be deadly, especially in the immuno-compromised, vulnerable and those with chronic health conditions. It can be both viral and bacterial. It is most commonly a secondary infection caused by the Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), and Mycoplasma pneumoniae in children which are bacterial infections. This means that they can be treated with antibiotics.
Other common complications include secondary ear infections (otitis media) and sinusitis and tonsillitis.
A cold tends to last for about a week, if not less, in a normal healthy person. Head colds are sometimes mistaken for sinusitis or a sinus infection.
Flu symptoms last anywhere between three to five days but can last up to about eight days although you may take longer to bounce back to full strength.
If the symptoms continue longer than that, it might mean that a secondary bacterial infection has developed.
Consider A.Vogel Echinaforce. It’s been around for more than 60 years. It is a unique formulation made from freshly harvested organically grown Echinacea purpurea. Swiss naturopath Alfred Vogel concluded that using fresh plant extracts would deliver greater quantities of active ingredients, like alkylamides, than dried plant extracts.
Taken daily, A.Vogel Echinaforce helps strengthen the immune system, preventing cold and flu infections. It is safe for long-term use and may be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding under a medical professional’s supervision.
It is advocated as a preventative solution and a treatment. So should you get sick, used at the treatment dose, A.Vogel Echinaforce helps to reduce the severity and duration of symptoms, as well as helping to prevent secondary infections and complications such as tonsilitis, sinusitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia.
A.Vogel Echinaforce is available as drops, tablets, as a throat spray, and as chewable tablets for children.
Getting a cold or the flu compromises and weakens the immune system. Secondary infections from colds and flu are often bacterial infections that develop during, or right after, the cold or flu.
Common secondary infections are otitis (ear infections), tonsilitis, sinusitis or bronchitis and because they are bacterial infections, they can often require antibiotic treatment. Another benefit of using A.Vogel Echinaforce at the treatment dose to help support the immune system and treat the cold or flu symptoms, is that it can also help to prevent those secondary bacterial infections from developing.
Most colds and flu can be treated at home. However, if you have been persistently ill for ten days with a fever of 38.5 degrees Celsius, you may require medical assistance.
This article also appeared on Living Naturally.
Stress impacts your concentration, your sleep, immune system and digestion. To help you navigate stressful times, A.Vogel can help.
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