No matter how good you take care of yourself, eventually the cold or flu will catch up with you.  Being a DJ that has to talk in order to work, it's important to be able to bounce back quickly when a cold or flu hits.

Being sick is never fun, and there are lots of over the counter medications that can help reduce symptoms once the illness grabs. But there are several things you can do to help get you back on your feet quicker.

Although there are no vaccines for the cold virus, you can get inoculated versus the flu and if you don't want to get sick, a flu shot is a great first step.

Once I feel that tickle in my throat of a cold or the flu coming on, the first thing I do is stock up on fluids.  Things like orange juice, apple juice, Gatorade and even just plain water are needed to help you stay hydrated.  I can't drink enough fluids when I start feeling sick, and keep drinking until after I feel better again.

Next is to get plenty of rest!  This is where the "should I stay at work, or go home" question comes into play.  If you have the ability to take time off when you get sick, you should do just that and get as much rest as possible.  We've all worked along side those employees that get sick and sit and cough and sneeze at their desk all day, maybe it's something you do?  But who are you helping by doing this?  No one!  In fact, you're just spreading the virus around the office or work place and before you know it, everyone has come down ill.

Besides fluids and rest, over the counter medications and homeopathic remedies can make you feel a bit better and help with pain, stuffy sinuses and your sore throat.

When I get sick, here is my plan to get back to work as quickly as possible!

Fluids - lots of fluids!!  I prefer orange juice, but if you're also using OTC medications or homeopathic remedies (like Zicam) be sure to read the label to see if citric acid will cancel out or interfere.

Sleep!  Over the weekend, I slept for most of the day both Saturday and Sunday.  Allowing your body to fight the illness is best done while the body is resting and I believe helps you get to feeling better quicker.

Finally, use over the counter medications to help with pain and stuffy head, sore throat and blocked sinuses.

I start by taking ibuprofen for my aches and pains.  Plus I take OTC cold products like Zicam or the store brand equivalent (a zinc based product which is supposed to help get you through a cold quicker). I use cough syrup and lossages for my sore throat and to help me sleep (I use the night time stuff).  Plus I use the product Airborne or the store brand equivalent (with is an immune support supplement) which delivers a boost of minerals and vitamins, several times each day.

Along with these steps, I love a bowl of hot soup to help clear the stuffy nose and help lift my spirits.

My cold started on Friday lasting 3 days and by Monday I was feeling better and back at work.  Best of all, I was well rested!

When you get sick it's important to get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids, use OTC meds to help alleviate the pain and do your part to help prevent the spread of the virus by staying home until you're healthy again.

Wishing you a speedy recovery to you and those around you this cold and flu season!!

 

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