Erratic weather, as happened recently was rarely makes the body susceptible to disease. Especially if you are doing intensive activities while the body is not fit. Various factors that most often causes infection in the throat and nose, resulting in the emergence of flu symptoms such as blocked nose, and head felt dizzy.

Flu or commonly called the common cold, can affect your daily activities. Immune system becomes weaker and make us easily get sick. But do not worry! You can use some simple ways to stay fit. One of them is using vacation time effectively.

Influenza virus can attack all age groups. The highest infection rates occur among children age. The number and severity of disease deaths occur in people aged more than 65 years of age or patients with certain diseases due to be vulnerable to any infection.

Factors Causes and Symptoms

Frequent colds or influenza is known as an acute viral infection in the respiratory tract. Occurs in epidemics or pandemics. The infection is caused by several strains of influenza viruses, namely influenza virus A, B, and C. Virus incubation period lasts for 3-10 days. It is characterized by inflammation in the nasal mucosa, pharynx, and conjunctiva. Then, influenza accompanied by headache, muscle pain, sore throat, cough, fever, chills and weakness.

Flu is a disease caused by viruses and usually attack when the conditions of our endurance was not good. Especially during the rainy season. Normally this virus is transmitted through saliva, which had been infected. And ways of transmission can be from coughing or sneezing of patients suffering from the flu.

The incubation period of the disease is approximately one to four days (an average of two days). In adults, the infection attacked since the days before the onset of influenza symptoms until five days after the onset of this disease. While the children can spread the virus to more than ten days. Characteristics that appear from this disease of the incidence of respiratory disorders such as sudden fever and nasal congestion. For some people who previously had lung and heart problems, influenza can cause disease pneumonia secondary.

Flu is a disease that has symptoms that stage throat, head and chest. But it is not sequential stages. You might first hit on the head or throat. In some cases of influenza marked by cold and accompanied by high fever. The patient usually will also feel the pain in the throat. All of these symptoms are also accompanied by headache, abdominal pain and a husky voice. In some cases, influenza is also accompanied by nausea, coughing and vomiting. Even for severe cases patients usually also have diarrhea.

Influenza viruses are constantly changing, the fox, then you can do is treat the symptoms and prevent complications did not occur. Giving vitamin C is proven to accelerate the healing process. If fever accompanies the additional needed energy supplies unutuk food and vitamin B for the metabolism of calories. Improvements needed terhdap infection vitamins A and C and iron for the formation of antibodies that the body needs to strengthen durability.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosis is done by recognizing the symptoms of the patient. Usually the symptoms that arise from the patient will we know. In addition, there are also checks droplets from the nose to the lab. The main treatment by improving the general condition of the patient.  For patients who complained of headaches will usually be given paracetamol.  Rest is the most appropriate way to treat this disease. Because the general condition of the patient’s rest can be much improved. Especially for you who like to work, it is recommended to temporarily stop your activity.

In addition, multiply water consumption. If under normal conditions you eat 6 to 8 glasses a day then when the cold then you should increase water consumption up to 10 cups. Water can wash away the virus from your body in various forms such as sweat and urine. To overcome a sore throat can also take tablets for throat antiseptic.

Keep in mind, the patient is not supposed to touch the sugar-containing foods such as cakes, ice cream and other sweet foods. Content of sugar in the blood will lower your body resistance against infection, it is advisable to consume fruits, juice or juice. Since the beverage contains vitamins will speed up the recovery process of the body. Most people recover within a week.

Last but not least, the community needs to consider the composition of a drunk cold medicines for drug component in accordance with flu-like symptoms experienced. The selection must be appropriate medication and should not be wrong. General flu drug is a combination of several active substances. For example, combinations of analgesic / antipyretic plus a nasal decongestant, analgesic / antipyretic plus nasal decongestants and anthistamin. The use of flu drugs not intended for long-term. If the flu symptoms are not reduced, or increasingly heavy after taking cold medication for three days should immediately consult a doctor or health care units.

At one time, doctors automatically treated all sore throats with antibiotics, both to cure the infection and to prevent dangerous complications such as rheumatic fever. Now, doctors are much less likely to prescribe medication because the overuse of antibiotics has led to an increase in antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. What’s more, antibiotics such as penicillin do little to hasten recovery from strep throat or to reduce signs and symptoms, and they don’t prevent infections from recurring. Be sure your doctor performs a rapid strep test before prescribing any antibiotic for a sore throat.

If your sore throat is caused by Streptococcus, your family doctor will probably prescribe penicillin, taken by mouth for 10 days. Another antibiotic, called erythromycin, can be used if you’re allergic to penicillin. If your sore throat is caused by different bacteria, your doctor may prescribe another type of antibiotic.

Warm or cool mist may help you feel more comfortable by soothing the swollen air passages. It may also relieve hoarseness. However, don’t let your room become uncomfortably cold or very damp.
Use a shallow pan of water to provide moisture in the air through evaporation if you don’t have a humidifier. Place the pan in a safe location where no one will trip on it or fall into it.

Aspirin gargles may ease the soreness. (There is little research evidence that confirms this. However, it is a popular treatment and may be worth a try.) Dissolve some soluble aspirin in water and gargle for 3-4 minutes. You can do this 3-4 times a day. Spit out the aspirin after gargling.

Contact your doctor if your sore throat persists for more than three days or if you have any other concerns. You may have a bacterial infection and benefit from antibiotic or other treatment. Also, if you have an accompanying earache, call your doctor. See a doctor immediately if the sore throat symptoms suddenly cause your voice to change to what is called “a hot potato” voice. This muffled tone sounds as if you have hot French fries in your mouth and cannot fully enunciate.

Others swear by gargling with chili pepper (yes, chili pepper!) Capsaicin, the ingredient in chili pepper that makes them hot, also numbs the throat. Mix ½ tsp. dried chili or cayenne pepper in a few ounces of water and gargle. Just like mom used to say, gargle with salt water (½ tsp. mixed with 4 oz warm water) every few hours or as needed.

If antibiotics are used, a 10-day course of oral penicillin (or a single dose of intramuscular benzathine penicillin G) is still the treatment of choice for GAS pharyngitis, because of its proven efficacy in eradicating the organism and preventing subsequent rheumatic fever, its safety, narrow spectrum and low cost. Twice-daily dosing (250 mg of phenoxymethyl penicillin in children, 500 mg in adults) is as effective as three- or four-times-daily dosing and is now the preferred regimen. Regimens using broader-spectrum antibiotics have comparable bacteriological and clinical cure rates with shorter courses, but are not recommended, as they promote resistance, are more expensive and have more side effects, particularly gastrointestinal.

Avoiding close contact with ill people can help you from getting a throat infection. Cold viruses appear to be more readily transmitted than streptococcal infections. Only about 25% of family members exposed to strep develop strep throat. Usually a person with strep throat becomes noninfectious within 24 hours after the first antibiotic dose. The incubation period (the time between exposure to strep germs and onset of illness) is usually 2-5 days. Children should stay home from school and day care during infectious periods.

Breastfeeding is the act of naturally feeding an infant with milk produced in the mother’s breast. This has unlimited amounts of benefits for the baby not only breast milk is healthier but the action of feeding the child is a moment of love in which the baby learns to bond, smell and caress with the mother as she gives nourishment and affection. Without a doubt breast milk is the best food for a newborn, nothing comes even closer to provide all the nutrients that the baby will need later in life. Breast milk is much easier to digest then any formula in the market, at the same time it provides protection against infections, prevents future food allergies, helps the growth of healthy teeth, and most important it improves brain development. Studies had shown that breastfed babies are more intelligent than formula fed babies.

However, many mothers stop breastfeeding after the third or fourth month switching to formula and later to cow’s milk, this certainly robs the baby of the special qualities that breast milk offers. Infants that stop nursing before the forth month are at risk of developing asthma, food and respiratory allergies, intestinal bacteria, and oral weaknesses (poor teeth development).

Sometimes a mother can not breastfed her baby due to a number of reasons, such as, low quality of milk, breast pain, infection, etc. That’s when herbs come into play, many midwifes have used them for years to improve quality and quantity of milk, to fight infection and much more, take a look at the following conditions and the natural ways to treat them.

Low quality or quantity of milk

Low quality of milk can be cause by medications or a poor diet, many antibiotics contaminate the milk and a diet high in caffeine may cause colics and sleeping problems for the baby it is very important the the mother keeps eating a well balance diet after giving birth, and preferably foods with no traces of pesticides these poisons become highly concentrated in the milk.

The use of a breast pump may inhibit the production of milk, lowering the amount available to the baby, this gives the false idea that the infant should be change to formula in order for him to be satisfied, when in fact the problem is the quantity of milk that the mother is producing.

Herbs can help with both of these common problems.

We recommend

- Eat alfalfa or take it in capsules, it stimulates lactation, improves quality and quantity of milk.

- Chaste tree Increases flow of milk, by affecting pituitary’s prolactin secretion.

- Chinese use an herb called codonopsis to increase lactation and strengthen the blood.

- Goat’s rue this herb is been used by midwifes for hundreds of years to improve breast milk production by as much as 50 %.

- Vervain encourages milk secretion and flow, it also increases absorption of nutrients from food and helps with postpartum depression.

- Milk thistle promotes production of milk and decreases pesticide residues in breast and milk.

TIP: Did you know that tight bras may stop the milk production and cause plugged ducts?.

- Cumin helps increase milk production.

- Caraway, aniseed, dill, and fennel promote flow of best milk. It can be taken in form of teas or infusion.

- If you are prone to chills while breastfeeding and have poor quality of milk use calcarea.

Engorgement

Breast engorgement is a very common problem that start affecting the mother in the first two or three weeks after delivery and is more annoying to women with poor skin elasticity. Engorgement is due to milk excessively filling the breast together with blood and fluid retention in the same area.

Usually the breast feels full, hard, tight, tender, painful, the breast feels hot to the touch and a fever may develop, the baby may have a hard time to latch on and suck.

We recommend

- Take a handful of Confrey leaves and steam them for a few minutes wrapped in a gauze and placed on the breast are very helpful relieving engorgement.

- Take the homeopathic remedy Belladonna 6X.

- Soak a towel in hot water and place it on the breast ten minutes before feeding.

- Poke root reduces swollen breast and pain. Use under doctor supervision.

- Elder is used to reduce swelling of engorged breast.

- Chamomile help control inflamed breast.

- Give your baby frequent feeds on both breast 10 to 15 minutes each.

- Use a pump to extract milk between feedings to control engorgement.

- Massage the breast while feeding to help milk flow easily.

- Mix 2 quarts of boiling water.

- tsp. of vitex berries. 2 tsp. of blessed thistle leaves. 1 tsp. of nettle leaves. 1/2 tsp. fenugreek seed. 1/2 tsp. anise seed. Let it steep for 30 minutes, strain and drink 2 cups a day.

- Bryonia reduces swollen and hard breasts.

- Pulsatilla and calcarea is very helpful reducing the size and hardness of engorged breasts.

- When the production of milk is excessive and produces engorgement a cold compress using peppermint oil should be used.

- A compress of marshmallow and slippery elm often reduces engorgement.

Plugged duct

This is a problem that occurs when the baby does not empty the breast completely on each feeding, the milk remaining in the duct hardens and blocks the duct eventually plugging it. Tight bras can cause plugged ducts as well. If the breast feels sore
it might be a sign of plugged ducts. A plugged duct should be taking care of as soon as possible, if not so it can develop into Mastitis.

We recommend

- Castor oil helps with inflammation and pain.

- Elder is used to reduce swelling of plugged breast ducts.

- Queen’s delight Clears congestion of lymphatic vessels, stimulates white blood cells to react to infection.

- Check your nipples everyday, if you see dry milk on them or dark dots remove them with a cotton and warm water and feed your child as soon a s possible from that breast.

- Place the baby in different positions every time, this will ensure that all ducts are being used.

- Place hot towels on the breast or run hot water over them in the shower.

- Massage the breast in the direction of the nipple to try to get the milk to come out. Mastitis

Mastitis is a condition that results when a plugged duct becomes infected, the breast swells due to a bacteria that enters through tinny cracks on the nipples. The breast infected with mastitis becomes red and painful with pus secretion other symptoms are fever, fatigue, vomiting or nausea.

We recommend

- Take poke root this helps mastitis. Use under doctor supervision.

- Queen’s delight Clears congestion of lymphatic vessels, stimulates white blood cells to react to infection.

- Place hot towels on the breast or run hot water over them in the shower.

- Elder is used to reduce swelling of breast infected with mastitis.

- Rest as much as you can.

- Drink lots of water or alfalfa juice.

- Coat your nipples with breast milk after feeding.

- There are antibiotics that are safe for nursing mothers and their babies, see your doctor if your case is very severe. However we recommend that you try to avoid antibiotic as much as you can.

- Wash your hands before and after feeding, to prevent bacteria contamination.

- Dandelion is very helpful and popular herb to treat mastitis.

- The chinese use gentian to cure mastitis.

- Madder root is useful in relieving mastitis.

Cracked nipples

Cracked nipples can develop when the baby is being position wrongly or by using damp breast pads. The nipple becomes irritated, redBusiness Management Articles, and painful in some cases bleeding may develop.

- Calendula cream will soothe and encourage the healing of cracked nipples and is safe for the baby to swallow.

- The homeopathic remedy called chamomilla helps heal cracked nipples.

- The homeopathic remedy called pulsatilla helps heal cracked nipples.

- Sulfur is also helpful for cracked nipples.

- Apply vitamin E to sore and cracked nipples.

In the beginning, very few illnesses and diseases were known, people would endure from different ailments mystifying to them. As time passed, the number of diseases cropping up continued to increase. Millions of people get ahead illnesses at some point in their lives; from common colds, coughs, to cancers and heart ailments. Though these illnesses or diseases have medications, it’s still best to stay healthy. Prevention is still better than cure, as many people always say.

Possibly you’ve heard about bronchitis. This is the annoying and inflammation of a human’s bronchial tubes and succeeding(a) tissues and organs convoluted in the external respiration process. Bronchial tubes strain the air before it reaches the lungs, and are covered with hair-like things called cilia. Read the rest of this entry »

HSV infections are often referred to in terms of the body part afflicted. For example, herpes that occur around the mouth and face are commonly known as or oral herpes; herpes that infect the genital tract are referred to as genital herpes. Although there are eight different strains, HSV1 and HSV2 are responsible for the majority of herpes infections. The cure for herpes symptoms is dependent on which strain of the virus is contracted.

Following active infection herpes viruses establish a latent infection in sensory and autonomic ganglia of the nervous system. The double-stranded DNA of the virus is incorporated into the cell physiology by infection of the nucleus of a nerve’s cell body. Read the rest of this entry »