My son started kindergarten this past fall and I am pretty certain we got every illness that swept through our area this year. Of course every time that my son gets sick I end up catching the illness too. Unfortunately this year we suffered not once, but twice, from the flu virus. The first time my son managed to get over the illness within a few days but I was in bed for literally two weeks before I even started to feel better and I had to visit Urgent Care once and the Emergency Room once; both for dehydration issues. After that illness, which was probably the sickest we've ever been in our house, I decided to stock up our medicine cabinet and pantry with items that would keep us comfortable when we got sick again. I also wanted to find some natural remedies to help rid our bodies of the illness.
Ginger
My husband and I both agree ginger is a gift from God. It's been used for thousands of years and for so many different purposes. We keep ginger in the house in the form of ginger tea bags and also a bottle of straight ginger drops. This natural remedy works for a lot of different ailments. I use it all the time for indigestion or acid reflux. When the flu hits the house the rest of us start taking ginger drops in a glass of water in order to try and prevent the illness from hitting everyone. Sometimes this works, sometimes not and sometimes it seems to lessen the severity of the illness. If you do fall ill ginger can help alleviate those awful stomach cramps and sometimes ward off nausea. The best part is that it can be given to kids (Always check with your pediatrician first though).
Oscillococcinum
I haven't been able to find anyone who can actually pronounce this remedy but people swear by its effectiveness when flu symptoms hit. Oscillococcinum is made from the heart and liver of wild duck. This is a good natural remedy because you don't have to worry about allergic reaction to plant or herb ingredients. You are supposed to start taking these capsules at the first signs of the flu and it's supposed to reduce the severity of chills, aches, headache and more. You can give this to children over two years of age.
DripDrop
The one thing that always stresses me out about the flu is the potential for dehydration. My little man is only six so he dehydrates quickly when the stomach flu hits. I have health issues that make it hard for me to stay hydrated on an average day so when the flu hits me I dehydrate in a matter of hours when your average person might take a full 24 hours to get that dehydrated. Drinks like Pedialyte and Gatorade are great to help replenish fluids but sometimes during a really severe flu you may need something more effective. DripDrop is a medical hydration product that provides hydration therapy with a great taste. My son hates the taste of Pedialyte no matter what the flavor so a better tasting product is always welcome. DripDrop provides sugars, salts, potassium and more. The ingredients in DripDrop provide rehydration faster than any other product you will find on the market.
Rice Sock
A friend of mine brought us two rice sock heating pads the first time we were sick with the flu. I'd seen them before but never actually thought of making one. I must say, in the few months we've had these rice socks they have gotten used dozens of times and not just for illness. We microwave ours for 3.5 minutes and apply them to our son's feet for growing pains, a pulled muscle, and they work amazing for flu-based stomach cramps. If you have a sock that is long enough you can actually heat it up and wrap it around your waist so you provide heat to your back and your stomach up front.
Zofran
While it's definitely not a natural home remedy it's a life saver and I always have some on hand for myself. You need to obtain a prescription for this medication but it's worth the effort when the flu hits. For me, being someone who dehydrates easily, I can't spend 24 hours throwing up. Zofran can be dissolved under the tongue for fast and effective nausea relief. You can typically take this drug once every 8 hours and it works amazingly well with really no side effects. Most pediatricians aren't going to provide this script for a child because they like to let the illness run it's course but certain adults can obtain a prescription for themselves especially if they are in a higher risk bracket upon contracting an illness like the flu.
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