Feeling ill isn’t fun. Any patient and all professionals can attest to that. One day you feel capable and confident; ready to tackle whatever’s sent your way, and then, the next morning, you can wake up and feel downright horrible.
Often, hardworking medical professionals don’t want to cut themselves any slack; they get on with it. They come to work, sniffling and coughing, ready to accomplish. But although the hard work ethic is extremely laudable, it should never come at the cost of your own health and of course your patient’s health.
Before jumping back into the workforce, slow down, pull off that stethoscope, put aside those men’s scrubs sets, and take the time to recover fully.
Here are some helpful natural and easy tips to get you through the recovery process.
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Stay Home When Sick.
Duh! Your thinking. But many people simple forget this. If you have strep, flu, or any other contagious virus, take the day off. Aside from giving you much-needed recovery time, this is also almost basic decency: It will prevent the virus from spreading to your coworkers and patients. And it’s not just about them; it’s about you. You need time to convalesce. A bit of relaxation can do a lot in speeding up the recovery process.
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Drink a Lot.
Hot liquids ease congestion; they help the body to rid itself of excess mucus from sinus infections. Drinks keep us hydrated, which is why they’re always important, but since illness often causes the body to use up fluids faster (whether due to vomiting, burning up with fever, or anything else), when you’re under the weather, drinking enough water is even more crucial. Liquids also assist your body in eliminating toxins more quickly and provide you with more energy. Green tea or any other herbal teas can help sooth aces and sore throats. If you cuddle in bed with a book and tea, the warm water going down your insides can calm you down and have an impact on your recovery.
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Visit a doctor if You Have High Fever.
You may assume you have a harmless virus, and the doctor may confirm your assumption – or he may not. Sometimes, serious illnesses come in the guise of a virus, and some viruses can actually be dangerous. By visiting your local healthcare professional, you can find out exactly what is causing these symptoms, and how to deal with the problem so that you can feel better fast.
If your fever has lasted for at least 3 days, or is over 103, then a doctor should definitely be consulted.
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Don’t Overwork Yourself if You’re Feeling Ill.
Diving headfirst into an ocean of work isn’t good for a weakened immune system. We’re not promoting laziness here, but getting sick is often a sign that your body has been taking on too much for itself. Therefore, when you’re feeling ill, if it’s just a small sinus infection, or something else that’s small enough that you really don’t feel it’s appropriate to take the day off due to it, come to work, but slow down. Do your best to accomplish what you can, but if you’re feeling tired, allow yourself a small break if possible. Cut yourself some slack this week. If necessary, communicate with your supervisor about the situation to prevent bad feelings.
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Prevent Germs from Spreading.
Once you’ve begun to feel better, sanitize your bathroom, strip your sheets, clean those toilets and disinfect countertops and doorknobs. This will help prevent family members from catching that illness, and can protect you from a recurrence of the illness due to a prevalence of germs. Although sometimes, overcleaning may be what makes a person get sick easily, doing the aforementioned following a contagious virus is not overcleaning; its due diligence.
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Take More Vitamins.
Supplements such as vitamins C & D, zinc, and probiotics are all beneficial for a weak immune system. If you’ve been feeling under the weather recently, including them in your daily diet may prevent colds, coughs, and viruses from recurring, and help them to clear up.
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Get enough sleep.
- The importance of resting up when feeling ill shouldn’t be underestimated. According to David Rapoport, MD, director of the sleep medicine program at New York University School of Medicine:
“Many of the molecules and substances that circulate in our body and also within cells overlap between immune function and sleep, so it’s not at all surprising that they affect each other.”
This means having a healthy immune system is partially dependent on getting enough sleep. When feeling ill, increasing the amount of sleep you get can give the immune system the power it needs to fight sicknesses.
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Eat Foods that Can Help You Feel Better.
Aside from rich, delicious vegetable soup, garlic, honey, and ginger are other foods to include in your diet when you don’t feel as well as you wish you would. Garlic boosts the immune system, and protects against the flu and colds. Honey eases hoarseness, and calms coughs. Ginger is known to help with nausea.
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Take a hot shower.
You’ll be surprised to see how taking a hot shower can help. Aside from washing away the germ, the water can message your body aches away and give some instant relief. It can loosen up chest congestion by breathing in steam and clear stuffy nasal passages with the water moisture. Dilated blood vessels and muscle aches can almost disappear. And of course, it relaxes your mind and body to help you sleep better and of course feel better. Just keep in mind not to stay in there for a prolonged amount of time since it can strip your body from its natural oils and can cause dizziness.
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Stay Optimistic!
People with a positive outlook stay healthier and live longer. According to Harvard Health, they have been proven to be less prone to viruses. So, cheerfulness isn’t just a nice character trait that puts your life in a better perspective; it actually improves your life and makes you less likely to feel down due to illness! Staying positive even through illness is a great way to prevent a recurrence of it, and, in contrast, depression can cause headaches, exhaustion, and aches and pains.
Now that you’re aware of all the ways to feel better faster, you’re ready to lay down, get cozy, and go to sleep. Feel better soon!
Please note that these strategies for feeling better are in no way to be taken as a substitute for individualized medical advice for a specific disease. If symptoms are increasing over time, be sure to visit a medical professional for expert guidance on your case.
Most times, Your workplace might not give you the opportunity to take enough rest when sick. Good tips right here. Thanks