How to Stock Your Cold and Flu Survival Kit

(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Feeling achy? Rundown? Itchy throat? The last thing you may feel like doing is running to the store for the items you’ll need to combat a cold or the flu. Worse: By being out in public you could be spreading germs and making other people sick! The flu season can endure for four to five months, and you can catch a cold at any time of the year. It’s smart to be prepared by stocking your own cold and flu survival kit.

Pharmacist and author Sherry Torkos recommends this checklist for a well-stocked cold and flu kit. Hint: Store the smaller items in one clear plastic container. That way, you won’t have to search through cabinets and cupboards for relief when you’d rather just crawl into bed.

• Tissues: An essential for the sniffles. To help prevent the spread of germs, discard each tissue promptly after using it.
• Water: Aim for eight to nine eight-ounce glasses of water each day to help you stay hydrated. It alsohelps the body eliminate toxins (dry mucus membranes can make it easier for viruses to enter).
• Nasal rinse:Saline rinses are increasingly recommended as a safe and natural way to help your body’s natural mechanism for clearing sinus pressure and nasal congestion from cold and flu. In place of regular salt water, try a nasal wash with an extra boost such as Alkalol Nasal Wash, which contains a blend of natural extracts and essential oils to help dissolve mucus, relieve nasal congestion and alleviate nasal dryne ss.
• Petroleum jelly: Helps to soothe raw, irritated skin around your nostrils.
• Chicken soup: Thisacts as an anti-inflammatory and temporarily increases the movement of mucus through the nose.
• Throat drops: Necessary for minor throat irritations. Choose a blend of natural ingredients, such as those found in Pine Brothers Softish Throat Drops, that includes combining the soothing natural qualities of glycerin with the healing properties of gum acacia.
• Acetaminophen: Useful to help bring down fevers and manage minor aches. Acetaminophen is often an ingredient in cold and flu medications. Be very cautious not to exceed the recommended total daily amounts, as that can lead to severe liver damage.
• Humidifier: A humidifier will release water droplets into the air, which brings relief to stuffy noses and promote much-needed undisturbed rest.

While there’s never a good time to get sick, you can be prepared to take action the minute you start to feel the symptoms coming on.

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