Flu caught us quite early this season. By the end of November a large number of people already caught a flu of one form or another.

If you can’t afford to stay home at least 6 days and then feel awful another couple a weeks trying to recuperate and get your full strength back,  you might want to try these 5 all natural yet very effective ways to beat the downtime and get well in no time:

1. Build up your immune system …

It’s advisable to take some vitamin-herbal supplements on a regular basis to build up you immune system. Insufficient sunlight together with everyday stress lowers your natural ability to fight infections. There are many amount of products on the market which can strengthen your immune system including WellMax by Country Life or Wellness Formula by Source Natural.

The first place you are likely to pick up a virus – it’s your nostril lining – keep it protected and moist. Make some Viral Defense Oil. Combine together:

• 1oz of Olive Oil
• 10 drops of Tea Tree Oil
• 10 drops of Lavender Oil
• 5 drops of Eucalyptus Oil
• 5 drops of Oregano Oil

Mix everything together and apply it to each nostril every morning before leaving to work with a q-tip. Carry some with you and apply any time you feel your nose is dry. Great for kids too, and has a pleasant, minty scent.

2. Do not take anything to lower your temperature …

If you feel you are coming down with the flu you don’t have much time until it fully develops – usually 2-3 hours. If you begin feeling a headache especially accompanied by pain when you move your eyes, or if you have body or muscle aches, unusual skin sensitivity – it’s the first signs of viral toxicity and are most likely the signs your body temperature is rising.

Do not take anything to lower the temperature (Motrin, Theraflu, Tylenol…)

Elevation of your body temperature is one of your natural defense mechanism. Your body is making special substances to kill the virus – one of them is called Interferon – but it can only be synthesized while the temperature over 102F or 38.5C.

If you start taking any medication that makes you feel better by lowering your body temperature you just disturbing your natural defenses and prolonging your condition for 5-6 days and more, during which your temperature will be on and off and you will have to continue take those medications.

The potentially harmful effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatorydrugs (NSAIDs) are rarely discussed in the treatment of A/H1N1flu, which has caused high death rates in Mexico.

Severe and fatal cases, including sudden death, are characterised by severe sepsis with multi-organ failure with findings such as fever, leucocytosis, leucopenia, acute respiratory distresssyndrome (ARDS), liver impairment, renal failure, rhabdomyolysis,and hypotension.

NSAIDs may aggravate these syndromes, leading to multi-organ failure.

Since the flu pandemics of the 20th century salicylates (aspirin) have been linked to Reye’s syndrome and their use restricted in children. But NSAIDs such as naproxin (Advil), aspirin (Bufferin, Bayer, Excedrin), and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin), are still used as antipyretics in many countries,albeit less often than aspirin.

Since the use of NSAIDs were restricted in children in Japan in 2000, the case fatality of so called flu associated encephalopathy has fallen dramatically.