Stay Hydrated

When you’re fighting a flu bug, especially one accompanied by nasty symptoms like nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, dehydration becomes a major concern -- especially in children. Drinking lots of clear fluids is essential to staying hydrated, which will help you avoid a trip to the ER. Plenty of fluids help thin out the mucus secretions in the lungs, making them easier to expel and helping your body flush toxins and infections from the body. And for maximum benefit, don’t just stay hydrated, choose your fluids carefully to boost their immune boosting properties. Clear broths like chicken broth have excellent antibacterial qualities, while drinking orange juice or vegetable juice can give your body a jolt of vitamin C. Antioxidants help give the immune system the energy it needs to fight off the invading virus. Teas are rich in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory plant chemicals, called polyphenols, which help the body combat infections, but they also have other bragging rights. Black and green teas are rich in a compound called L-theanine, which is shown to induce a state of calmness and may improve sleep quality, which is important for letting the body recover.

Get Rest

When you finally make the call to miss a day of work, you may be tempted to try to catch up on things around the house or take in a marathon of that new show you’ve been meaning to watch. Experts, however, agree that one of the best ways to help your body heal is to get plenty of sleep. This has been shown in studies of people who are getting their flu shot. On average, healthy people who slept eight hours or more the night before getting a flu vaccine produced twice as many antibodies against the shot as those who only got four hours of sleep on average.

Steam It Up

Steam is a great, natural decongestant. If you’re well enough to shower (don’t do this if you’re feeling dizzy or light-headed) you can take a hot, steamy shower to open your airways and moisten and thin your body’s mucus. You also can fill a bathroom or kitchen sink with steaming hot water and add a few teaspoons of chopped fresh ginger, eucalyptus oil or Vicks. Drape a towel over your head and lean over the sink to soak up the steam and get relief from your clogged nasal passages.