How to Stop Feeling Sick

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We all get sick at some point in our lives. Multiple times, actually. That’s just a part of life, really. Our immune systems aren’t always in tip-top shape and we fall ill – usually to the common cold, but sometimes to much worse conditions.

I’m lucky enough to be a person that only gets sick every once in a while. Maybe twice a year I’ll feel crappy and the rest of the year I’m as healthy as an award-winning horse. My roommate, however, is not as fortunate as I am.

She tends to get sick once every month or so – which is extremely annoying to me because I HATE getting sick. But when she does fall ill, I’m always there to help her feel better. Throughout our time living together, I’ve given her a lot of advice on how to stop feeling sick and I’ll share all of that advice with you today.

  1. Stay Hydrated

If you want to stop feeling sick, you need to flush that darn sickness out. You should normally drink 8 cups of water a day. However, when you’re sick, you should aim to drink about 10-12 cups of water. You may be getting up to go pee more often, but you’re also flushing out all the stuff that’s making you feel crappy.

  1. Take Vitamins!

When your immune system is down, it may be because you’re deficient in certain vitamins. You should always take a daily vitamin when you’re sick to ensure that you’re getting the proper nutrients you need to fight off the illness.

  1. Eat These Foods

When you’re sick, help yourself to these foods: crackers, mint, applesauce, toast, ginger, bananas. All of these foods are not only easy on your stomach, but will provide you with the proper nutrients you need. Ginger and mint are a bonus because they also help stop any nausea you might be experiencing.

  1. Sleep

Your body can somewhat heal while you’re awake, but all the recovery actually happens when you’re sleeping. Make sure you’re getting at the very least 8 hours of sleep at night. And if you have a more severe illness, sleep as much as you can during the day, too.

  1. Stay Relaxed

A stressed out body can’t really heal itself. Adding any tension to it while you’re sick will only make the sickness last longer. Take the day off work, curl up in your blankets, read a book or watch a movie, and just relax. You’ll feel much better.

  1. Medicine

I personally don’t like taking medicine when I’m sick just because it’s a personal choice. However, medicine definitely does make you feel better. When you feel a cold coming on, head down to your nearest convenience store and buy something that gets rid of your symptoms. Make sure to take it according to the directions only.

  1. Natural Remedies

Some natural remedies to feeling better that I’ve picked up over the years is putting some eucalyptus essential oil in a diffuser and chewing ice. While I don’t know the science behind this exactly, I know that it’s worked for me and many people I’ve suggested it to.

  1. Hot Tea

You usually feel pretty cold when you’re sick, right? One thing that can ease your chills and quench your thirst while throwing in some much needed antioxidants is hot tea. Preferably green tea. It will keep you hydrated and ward off that sickness!

  1. Coconut Oil

You can either add it to hot water or hot tea, but mix it in somehow. Coconut oil is high in antibiotics and antifungals and provide your body with natural nutrients that you need to recover. If you have a sore throat, drinking coconut oil in a hot beverage can make it disappear quickly.

  1. Sea Salt Water

This is really only if you’re having sore throat issues. Gargling sea salt water when you have a sore throat can kill any harmful bacteria that are threatening your health and well-being. You can also use warm sea salt water in a neti pot to clear sinuses easily and effectively – releasing pressure in your head that can cause pain.

  1. Vapor Rub

Vapor rub works wonders at relieving coughs and congestion. Go to your local store and get a vapor rub and smear it all over your chest (and I like to put some right under my nose for maximum effectiveness) and enjoy the almost instant relief.

  1. Steam Yourself/Face

Another way to clear your sinuses and relieve some of that pain associated with it is to steam yourself and face. You can either take a piping hot shower or bath – making sure the bathroom stays steamy – or boil water over the stove and put your face over it with a towel over your head and breathe in the hot steam for 10 minutes. It works better if you add eucalyptus oil, too. The steam helps break down mucus so it can drain easier.

  1. Raw Honey or Pineapple for Coughs

Raw honey and pineapple are proven to work more effectively at relieving your cough than traditional cough medicines. Just swallow some honey (or add it to tea) and eat pineapple. It’s that simple.

  1. Exercise if You’re Not too Sick

If you’re just feeling the onset of an illness and still have some energy in you, hit the gym. Sweating can increase blood flow, heighten your immune system, and even flush out toxins that are making you sick. Just don’t overdo it!

  1. DON’T FORGET TO EAT

When you eat you’re fueling your body with the vitamins and nutrients it needs to heal and get rid of all that stuff that’s making you feel super crummy. If you don’t think you can handle a full meal, opt for making a fruit smoothie that has spinach in it.

Not only can all of these help you to stop feeling sick, but they can go a long way to preventing any illnesses in the future, too. What are some of your tried and true remedies for sicknesses?