What are the important remedies to take when you're sick?

To combat an infection, try to determine if you’re dealing with a viral infection or a bacterial infection.

Viral infection symptoms will be more systemic. If you have a viral infection, you’ll notice more body aches and chills. Bacterial infection symptoms will be localized. Fevers are typically higher with a bacterial infection. A sore throat associated with a viral infection is often accompanied by a runny nose and a cough. If a sore throat is caused by a bacterial infection, you’ll feel more localized pain without a runny nose.

A dry cough is associated with a viral infection, while bacterial infections are associated with a productive cough. Respiratory infection, the common cold, flu, bronchitis, and infections involving the sinuses and lungs are generally viral. Pneumonia can be both bacterial and viral.

A viral infection typically lasts 1 to 2 weeks. A bacterial infection will probably last a bit longer, but this depends on your immune system. Mucus associated with a viral infection is usually clear or white and green or yellow with a bacterial infection.

The best viral infection remedies are elderberry and olive leaf extract. For bacterial infections, try garlic, oregano oil, and echinacea.

The following remedies for infection work for both viral and bacterial infections:

•Take a hot bath or shower/dress warm

•Get more sleep

•Take zinc, vitamin D, and vitamin C

•Fasting

•Increase sea salt intake

•Improve emotional state

•Get more sunlight (UVB and infrared rays)

•Take cod liver oil

Stress, age, and poor gut health can increase your susceptibility to infection. Refined sugar and other refined foods deplete zinc and vitamin C, also increasing your susceptibility to infection.