Top Tips for Beating the Lurgy
In the midst of this glorious weather we’ve been having, I have been struck down by the dreaded lurgy! I’m feeling oh so sorry for myself with streaming eyes and swollen glands, looking at the wonderful blue sky through the window whilst I’m curled up under a blanket. Boo, hiss and bah humbug! But I’m taking the time to rest quietly and recharge my batteries, as I’m off on a pretty amazing adventure in a few days! If there’s one thing that’s worse than being sick at home in the sunshine, it’s being sick in a hotel away from your home comforts (although sometimes I wish you could order room service at home!), so here’s some of the things I’ve been trying to get me back to peak health before I go:
FLUIDS: Water is your best friend, that’s a rule to live by, but it’s especially important when you’re sick to flush out those pesky bugs. I drink a glass of water in the morning when I wake up, and the office water cooler is right outside my door so I keep hydrated through the day. I tend to drink more herbal tea when I’m at home though, maybe because I can nip outside and pick some fresh herbs to use. I bought some lime mint the other day (which smells deliciously of mojitos), and added lemon balm for a zesty cup pictured above, but I’m also a fan of rosemary, thyme and sage tea when under the weather to ease sore throats and chesty problems. As a general rule, use 1 tsp of dried herbs or 2 of fresh to one cup of boiling water, and add honey to taste. Yum!
BATHING: Have a read of my 5 top tips for bathing like a queen post for general tips on how to transform bath times into indulgent me-time. When I’m sick, I especially like to use Epsom salts to draw out the toxins, make sure it’s hot and steamy, and sometimes add a few drops of Eucalyptus oil to really open up those sinuses again!
SLEEP: Why do we feel so guilty about resting? Even when I’m sick, I spend the time I could be spending taking a nap, worrying that I could be doing something more productive with my time. Of course I end up just feeling anxious and even more tired, having neither taken a nap or done the list of things I’ve come up with that would be more productive than sleeping! Jeez. But I’m getting better at listening to my boy and taking the time to sleep when I need to. If I’m sick I like to build a nest on the sofa, books, water, snacks, tea, remote, pillows, blanket and dog all within reach so that I don’t have to move for hours if I don’t want to.
FRESH AIR: I remember my Gran yelling at me when I had a chest infection years ago that I needed to get out and climb to the top of a mountain. Now I don’t actually think that was great advice, but I have noticed that as soon as I’ve set up and settled in to my nest for a little while, my sinuses close up completely and breathing becomes a pain to do. Get up and walk around, and they open up quickly again. Not exactly useful when you’re trying to take a nap right?? Well I find that getting out in the garden, or going for a gentle walk can improve sinus function enough to get off to sleep at least. Husband can just deal with the snoring as long as I can just get off to sleep! Make sure you stay warm and dry if you do head out for a wonder.
The dog has just curled up on my feet so I’m taking that to mean that I’m overdue a nap of my own. Let me know if you have any of your own tips to shed this virus post haste, and if you’re unlucky enough to have caught the summer lurgy yourselves, you have my sympathies!
