healthy body tips

Everyone suffers from some form of cold. Since a cold is caused by a virus, there is no way to treat the actual cold strain that you may be suffering from. The only way to treat a cold or influenza is to treat the symptoms. There are fewer strains of the flu so shots are given to vaccinate against as many strains as possible. Those at greatest risk for catching the flu, the elderly and children, are the first to get the shots in an attempt to keep them healthy.

There are home remedies you can use to battle a cold and/or the flu. If you have a remedy from the store that works for you, that’s fine.  But if these products leave you feeling much the same way, give these home remedies a try. It couldn’t hurt and you’ll spend less money. While even home remedies cannot “cure” a cold, it can lessen the duration of the symptoms. And, that is a godsend.  Cold symptoms can drag on for weeks especially with a busy schedule. Natural remedies have proven to be gentler to the body systems than some of the medicines we currently take.

* Create saline nasal drops to combat dry nasal passages. In a squeeze bottle, combine warm water with a small amount of table salt (about half a cup of water to a quarter teaspoon salt). Use it to moisturize your nose after constant blowing. Change the solution often to avoid contamination and to keep up the potency. Store in the refrigerator to avoid bacterial growth in the bottle.

* Chicken soup has been the standard for colds for so many years. I guess Mom was right. But, this soup is a bit different. Combine sauteed garlic with chicken stock, egg whites, egg yolks, and vinegar. It is not Campbell’s, but it should help your cold.

* Ginger tea with honey is another warm option for combating that cold. This is not the flavored tea bags but homemade tea with fresh ginger.

* Echinacea has been known to speed healing. Many over the counter herbal remedies involve this herb as their main ingredient. Taking Echinacea at the first sign of a cold can thwart the worst of it. 

* Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic. Using it as a gargle with warm water can kill the germs in the mouth and combat sore throat. 

* Instead of medicated chest rub, try a bit of olive oil on the chest to combat a cough. Warm milk is supposed to help you be able to sleep but mix it with some honey and it will quiet that cough as well as help you to sleep. 

* Drink your orange juice. It is chock full of Vitamin C which keeps colds from every being a problem in the first place.Meeting the maximum daily requirement for Vitamin C will help to avoid colds and flu in the future. 

* For those people who grow herbs for cooking, they can also be used for quieting a sore throat and respiratory problems.   

THE flu crisis deepened yesterday as Andrew Lansley admitted the NHS was running out of vaccines.

The Health Secretary was forced to issue an SOS to the manufacturers and the doctors said they had to turn away patients who want a jab.

The ministers have asked vaccine providers to obtain additional doses in Britain "as soon as possible."

Shadow Health Secretary, John Healey, said: "This action is better late than never, but will only increase the confusion over the government's handling of the outbreak of swine flu.

"The adoption of the vaccine has been last year but there are reports of doctors run out of vaccines.

"The Secretary of Health has been slow to act at all stages and now that his department is playing catch up, urging the UK suppliers to buy more vaccine from the rest of Europe."

The UK Vaccine Industry Group, said 14. 700,000 doses have been delivered. But the Department of Health has been caught as people vaccinated amid fears of an epidemic. Latest figures show that 39 people have died from the flu since October - only one was over 65 - and nearly 750 are being treated in intensive care.

A Health Department spokesman insisted last night that the SOS vaccine is limited to specific areas.

She said: "There is a national shortage of seasonal flu vaccine. Primary Care Trusts are working with their doctors to ensure that local supply problems are resolved locally where possible."

As the vaccine shortage was revealed, the widow of a swine flu victim called for mass immunization to save families from the anguish they are suffering.

Martin Clorley, 37, of Coedpoeth, Wrexham, died on Boxing Day - 10 days after their wedding - and wife Nicola wants everyone to have the vaccine in the NHS.

She added: "Even the payment of the vaccine is better than paying for the funeral. Last week it feels like a nightmare."

Mother of two children, Sharon Chandler, 45, is the latest swine flu patient to die. The supermarket worker from Leek in Staffs, was in good health.