A lot of people confuse colds and flus, which may not matter if you treat both with natural solutions that support your immune system. However, if you have the flu and you treat it like a bacteria-based cold with allopathic (or Western) medicine, you can expect to feel worse rather than better. Before we dive into the topic of why this occurs, just take a quick look at the difference between colds and flus:
There are several major symptoms that indicate you probably have the flu. These include:
- fever
- muscles aches and soreness
- rapid onset of symptoms
- severe symptoms
- overall fatigue that lasts for one to three weeks
Symptoms that are unique to colds include:
- often starts with a sore throat
- stuffy or runny nose without fever or fatigue
- milder symptoms
- slower onset of symptoms
- few lingering side effects once major symptoms have resolved
For more on the difference between colds and flus, check out this article.
Do I Have the Flu or Do I Have a Cold? Treat the Right Condition
Treating for the flu or cold gets complicated when it comes to Western medicine. Why? Because both colds and flus can come from viruses, while certain colds can be bacterial in nature. It just depends. The tricky part is if you think that you have a bacteria-based cold and treat it with antibiotics, you may think you will get better. However, if you have a virally-caused cold or flu, the antibiotics are only going to make you feel worse. Why? Because viruses do not respond to antibiotics. The antibiotics will not harm the virus causing your discomfort, but they will kill off most if not all of the beneficial bacteria that live in your gut, such as acidophilus and bifidus. This is bad news because 70% of our immunity comes from these beneficial bacteria (also known as probiotics). Kill these off, and the virus that is causing you to feel crummy has a free license to run rampant in your body.
The better solution may be to support your body’s natural immune response with natural solutions. In addition to getting enough rest, hydration, and chicken soup, you can also add supplemental probiotics into your regimen. For more natural solutions on supporting your body’s immune response to colds and flus, read this article.
