What to do When You Have the Flu?
My family has already faced the first round of colds, only two weeks into the school year. Thankfully, we were prepared with a get well kit on hand. A cold is relatively easy to deal with, some sniffles and coughs and extra tired, but overall you can continue to function through most of the sick period. Catching the flu is a totally different story, and you’ve got to be ready for all that comes with it. We’ll help you prepare for what to do when you have the flu so you’ll be ready when the bug hits your home.
I鈥檓 proud to partner with CVS Pharmacy on this post for the CVS Health brand line. All opinions expressed are my own, and all product claims or program details shared should be verified at CVS.com or with the appropriate manufacturers.
8 Tips for Managing the Flu
Rest, Rest, Rest – The most important thing you can do when you catch any kind of sickness or bug, is to rest as much as you can. Take a day off of work when you can, or go to bed as early as possible if you can’t. Stay-at-home parents don’t get to call in sick, but can plan around a lazy day at home with a movie or snuggles on the couch reading books.
Lots of Fluids –聽You need a lot more fluids when you’re sick, and it’s really important to not get dehydrated. Aim to drink twice as much as you feel like drinking. Keeping a water bottle or electrolyte drink near you at all times can help. Hot drinks like apple cider or an herbal tea can also be helpful to soothe a sore throat and warm your belly.
CVS Pharmacy has a unique new product to make it easy to get flu relief and liquids at the same time. Just pop one of their new Daytime or Nighttime Cold & Flu Relief Single Serve cups in your Keurig K-cups compatible brewing machine. It will deliver a hot cup of cold & flu relief that will give you both the benefits of medication and a soothing hot drink.
This one product can help relieve:
- Headache
- Fever
- Sore Throat
- Minor aches & pains
- Nasal congestion
- Cough
The daytime formula is a berry flavor infused with menthol and green tea flavors while the nighttime formula is a honey lemon flavor infused with chamomile and white tea flavors. The daytime provides a non-drowsy formula while the nighttime relief will help you get the rest you need. This is such a unique product, you’ll definitely want to have a box of Daytime and Nighttime Cold & Flu Relief Single Serve cups on hand for when you get sick this fall.
Stick to Easy Stomach Foods –聽You likely won’t have a big appetite, but it’s a good idea to eat even if it’s just a small meal or a few soda crackers throughout the day. Some great foods for sick day include: chicken noodle soup, broth, popsicles, soda crackers, and jello.
Load up on Vitamin C –聽Consume Vitamin C when you start to feel the symptoms of getting sick or when you notice friends and family around you feeling under the weather. The Vitamin C will help boost your immune system and help you recuperate faster as well.
Vapor Rub Your Soles – Add socks!聽This trick often used for kids, is great for adults too! Rub some vapor rub onto your soles, add a pair of socks, just before bedtime.
Soak in the Tub – A nice soak can help clear up your聽sinuses, soothe your sore muscles, and relax your body. It’s also just great for your soul to help you recharge internally. It doesn’t need to be long, even a 10 minute soak can help.
Ask for Help – Call in for reinforcements when you can. Let your spouse know what tasks he can take over to help you out. Call up a girlfriend and ask her if she’d bring in a meal so your hungry kids will have a filling meal. Or see if a neighbor can help usher your kids to school so you can take it easy.
Don’t be a “Hero” –聽Sometimes there’s a mentality that you don’t want to take medicine unless you absolutely have to. Medicine can do wonders to help you feel better and be able to function and take care of the needs around the home. Don’t shy away from following the recommended dosage instructions to help you tackle your cold and flu days.
Flu Days Survival Kit
Stock up on the appropriate medicines you’ll need for cold and flu season before it hits your family so you’re prepared when it happens. There’s nothing worse then feeling absolutely miserable and not having the supplies you need to help you on hand. Here’s what you’ll need to tackle flu days:
- Fever Reduce / Pain Reliever
- Daytime and Nighttime Cold & Flu Relief
- Vitamin C / AirShield to support your immune system
- Cough drops / Soothing throat drops
- Decongestant
You’ll also want a good supply of fluids, tissues, a heat pack, and a thermometer handy!
You can find everything you need for your cold and flu relief at CVS Pharmacy with the CVS Health brand found throughout the store at prices below the name brand products.
What are your secrets for surviving flu season?聽
I’ve already had a cold, just waiting for the flu to come. I love the single serve cups! I need to get up to CVS and restock my medicine cabinet for the winter.
Those single serve cups of medicine are awesome! I love that they are individually packaged!
I can’t believe flu season is already rolling back in. Hopefully, we won’t have any issues. It’s been years since we caught the flu.
These are such great tips. Thanks! This is always the time of year that it really starts spreading!
We definitely need to stock up for the flu season. I’ll cross my fingers we won’t have to use our supplies though. 馃槈
The flu is miserable, and I’ll never forget the time all 6 of us got it when my hubbie and I had planned a New Year’s Eve date night. Great ideas for a flu kit “just in case.”
I try to stay healthy. Keeping myself warm and eating the right foods works for me. But sometimes its always doesnt work.
All these tips are what I usually do too. I love that they have k-cup medicine. I would have never thought of something like that. I need to get some of those!
Hopefully, nobody gets the flu in our house. Soaking in the tub is a great way to ease the body aches.
It is so important to get lots of rest and keep hydrated when you get the flu. I have an electric blanket I like to curl up in when I am sick. Daytime or Nighttime Cold & Flu Relief Single Serve cups sound like a great product.
I would love to try Daytime or Nighttime Cold & Flu Relief Single Serve cups. They are so easy to prepare and would really help relieve your symptoms.
Daytime or Nighttime Cold & Flu Relief Single Serve cups is a fantastic idea. I will have to stock up on some for flu season.
I always make sure to get plenty of rest and fluids when I get the flu. I will have to look for Daytime or Nighttime Cold & Flu Relief Single Serve cups.
Thank gd we all get our nasal spray so that we’ve been able to steer clear of the flu but just in case it’s always good to know that CVS has my back!
This looks like the perfect kit to feel better from the flu. I have been lucky to only have had it a couple times before.
I always find lots of fluids and catching the bug early with lots of rest really helps cut down on the duration. The past few years, though, I’ve gotten the flu shot.
These are great tips. Whenever I get the flu, I drink lots and lots of fluids, double up on the vitamin C, and do my best to stay in bed!
I had the flu this past year. It was really rotten. Unfortunately for me it was on a flight back from another country (worst place in the world to get sick BTW). Hopefully you do not get the flu anytime soon again but if I do I will most definitely be taking medicine.
I’ve never had the flu. I have had a million colds, though, and usually I just mope around till I feel better LOL 馃檪
Oh how we all dislike cold and flu season. Thanks for the great info, the new Daytime or Nighttime Cold & Flu Relief Single Serve cups are a really neat idea.
ugh I hate getting the flu. This has a lot of good advice!
I have not gotten the flu for years, and I always get a flu shot and wash my hands and eat a healthy diet and stay away as much as I can from sick people. I like your flu day survival kit. It has everything I need when I get sick.
I hope my family never gets it. My husband would be the biggest baby lol!