Sore Throat? Stop it Quickly!

At the first sign of a sore throat especially during the cold and flu season, this should be your first and hopefully only step if done correctly & on time!

Gargle with salt water!

Sounds simple enough, but shockingly this inexpensive, efficacious, easy to make & use home remedy often gets overlooked and undervalued when it should be the first line.

This capitalistic world pushes adverts that teach us to run to the pharmacy for everything (sprays, lozenges and syrups) but actually you don't have to.

Save yourself a trip. Be wise, a sore throat is usually a sign that the bacteria balance in your throat is offset. Streptococci are the common culprits. Sugar at this point is your worse enemy but salt is your best friend.

To bust these intruders, do not wait. Grab a tablespoon of salt and a cup of water. Stir together and gargle as frequently through out the day as possible. Even up to 10x.
Remember, bacteria grow quickly so if you gargle once in the morning (@ 8h), by lunch time (@ 13h)  it's already too late. Especially if you've eaten or had sugar in between, make sure to set your phone on a 2 hourly or 3 hourly frequency to gargle through out. The first day is most critical. By the next, it either will have subsided and resolved or fully developed and proliferated into a full blown throat infection.

The convenient thing to do is to prepare a salt water bottle to take with you for the day. Whether at work or at school, take a 2 mins gargle trip to the bathroom every 2-3 hours.

It's safe for everyone,  But Do not swallow. Gargle and spit. If you swallow, your ingesting an unhealthy amount of salt and bacteria dislodged from your throat are able to continue their trouble in your gut.


That's the good pharmacists

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3 things to prevent a cold or flu this winter!

Colder winter days are upon us and the common cold (milder) and flu (more severe/intense) season as well! You may know that both these similar conditions are caused by viruses ( rhinoviruses and influenza viruses) meaning they are self limiting. Once you get a cold or flu expect 7-10 days of symptoms including a sore throat, fever, runny nose and a dry cough (persistent).

Note: you do not need a doctor to treat an episode as most over the counter medication will suffice. However if an underlying or pre existing condition exist such that your symptoms are exacerbated, do not hesitate. Antibiotics are usually seldom required and unnecessary as they only treat bacterial infections and not viral ones. So to steer clear of these viral bugs here are 3 things you can do:

1. The obvious one is keep warm! "Catching cold" can actually trigger sickness if you have a sensitivity or predisposition. Hypothermia will cause illness. The mucus membrabe in your nose and mouth can dryup or crack therefore compromising the protective layer and inviting the common cold or flu virus in. Also asthma can become exacerbated or flare up leading to dry or productive coughs. Smokers can also further irritate their bronchi with prolonged cold weather exposures.

2. Intentional supplemental intakes. During the colder winter days be proactive to ward of getting sick. Maximise your water intake, this helps flush out parasites and viruses from your system before they cause harm. Eat more citrus fruits packed with vitamin c to boost your immune system.  You can also take a daily vitamin c & zinc supplement. You should also eat balanced meals that give you essential amino acids and minerals to build a stronger body... and don't forget to exercise!

3. Prevention is better than cure. You've surely heard that saying many times before and it couldn't be truer regarding colds and flu. Avoid crowd, and busy enclosures. Since the weather is cold, people tend to stay indoor more and thus recycle each other's air, airborne germs and viruses. If someone coughs or sneezes openly, those particles travel to everyone else. Same with shaking hands with someone who just sneezed, coughed or held a used tissue. Wash hands more regularly throughout the day to prevent direct contamination. Lastly, check with your pharmacist if you qualify and get a flu injection.

Also note that through the hundreds of various "colds & flu" preparations that promise to cure you, many have similar active ingredients which can cause serious harm when taken concurrently. Especially with anti pain/inflammation substances like paracetamol / codeine / ibuprofen.

Always check with your pharmacist the total daily allowed dose for any particular active ingredients to avoid overdose, contraindications and side effects.

Happy Winter!

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