Post by dyrl on Nov 13, 2009 10:37:28 GMT
So...since I'm down with my traditional seasonal bout of the flu, I'd like to ask all of you how you're holding up, and whether everyone gets sick every winter, how you try to counter it, what symptoms you mainly deal with, what medication or other remedies do you use, and what do you do to stay healthy?
As for me - I ALWAYS come down with some form of bronchitus around this time of year, and yeah - it's probably because my bronchi are full of tar from smoking, and the tar kills those little hair things that catch particles and bacteria and viruses - instead letting those things proceed directly to my lungs and screw me over.
The thing is, I've really cut down on smoking this year. I used to smoke a pack a day when I was in college. Up until 2005 or 2006, that was the norm. But ever since 2007, I've steadily cut down to where right now my smoking basically looks like this:
Weekdays - sometimes I go an entire week without a smoke from monday to Friday.
Weekends - this is when I usually smoke during a meal.
Months - sometimes I managed to go two months without smoking
But recently...over the last two months I'll admit that I was smoking at least one cigarrette a day and a tad more than that on the weekend - so I was just asking for trouble I guess...
It's just once I break my routine of parcing out the smoking (for instance the "no smoking on weekdays" routine)...then it's all down hill... But some times a month is more stressful and I instinctively turn to cigarettes to deal with it.
Then I get sick, and I get very pensive about smoking at time when I'm having trouble breathing (naturally)
And the first thing that comes to mind is... to what extent am I just chronically ill with this on a seasonal basis - and to what extent is it smoking related?
Certainly my overall health routine (or lack thereof) does have a vissible impact on how I get sick.
For instance, this year, since I have smoked far less and - more importantly - have been regularly going to the gym to work out at least three times a week for about 3 hours per work out on average (still far from Arnie's 5 hours per DAY...) ... my illness is very light this year.
Usualy I'd be coughing up a storm, have a high fever and be totally bed ridden and incapacitated. I would also have a horrible throat ache.
This time, yeah I'm coughing - but it's not as bad as it was in the past. My throat doesn't ache at all (thank goodness), my fever is either non-existent or very low (and even then it's likely asprin induced). And I'm generally mobile - although physically tired from fighting the illness.
I think another thing that helped is that I have a car. Before having a car, I got around everywhere by bus, tram and metro. This is all fine and dandy until the fall and the winter. Waiting for a bus in freezing wheather is bad - no matter how well bundled up you are. And since I worked as an english teacher and had to travel from one part of town to another depending on where my classes were being held - I ended up traveling in the rain, wind and freezing snow a lot.
Now I just get into my car which is super warm and heated and lovely and man...what a difference a car makes! It's so awesome! I mean - just for the warmth. Forget even the pleasure of driving - just the fact that I no longer need to freeze at the bus stop is a big plus.
That said - I'm sick anyways.
I usually think that the main cause of my illness was excess smoking. My body has a tolerance level - and I KNEW I exceeded it last week - but I stupidly smoked three more cigarrettes on Tuesday after going without any on Monday.
I had none on Monday because over the weekend I felt that I had had all the niccoteene/tabacco I could take and decided - no more for now.
If I just hadn't had those stupid 3 smokes on Teusday - I'm sure I'd be healthy now...
Or would I?
If this is a flu - you know, one that's just routine and going around...then would it make a difference if I'd smoked or not?
Even as a kid, I had chronic bronchitus, and I sure didn't smoke back then....
In terms of medication - I'm just using asprin now, although I did also buy a bottle of Vodka. I know it sounds stupid, but a Ukrainian girl I knew introduced me to their recipy for the flu: It's a shot glass full to the brink with pepper, and then you pour vodka into it.
Best if it's a "double" sized shot glass.
You take it down in one gulp - and man does it burn - but ostensibly it helps.
The problem is, it only helps in the short run...since I guess ultimately vodka and pepper have no concievable medical effects on the actual virus sitting in my bronchial tracts.
Technically, I could keep drinking, but then I'd just get drunk, and truth be told I don't like the taste of vodka (clear vodka) enough to want to drink a whole bottle.
Beyond that - hot tee with cherry juice, grapefruit juice, mineral water and just time and rest have always seen me through.
Most people in Poland tend to take anti-biotics for stuff like this, but I've always been opposed to the practice because from what I've read, it weakens the immune system, and one ought not use such strong medicine on common flus - no matter how annoying and ostensibly painful a flu can be.
Anyways - the good news is that usually once I'm passed my bought of winter-flu...it doesn't come back any more till next year.
But yeah...I shouldn't have had those three cigarrettes...frinkin' ruined everything... I was feeling pretty bad last week...I guess I felt it coming on...and I went to the gym all weekend and then monday in the hopes that physical exercise would scare it away...
And I think it might have..but then I smoked those three cigs and bam...flu...
Anyways - can't wait to get back to the gym.
And first person to suggest I picked up the flu at the gym gets a sour look from me
Pete
As for me - I ALWAYS come down with some form of bronchitus around this time of year, and yeah - it's probably because my bronchi are full of tar from smoking, and the tar kills those little hair things that catch particles and bacteria and viruses - instead letting those things proceed directly to my lungs and screw me over.
The thing is, I've really cut down on smoking this year. I used to smoke a pack a day when I was in college. Up until 2005 or 2006, that was the norm. But ever since 2007, I've steadily cut down to where right now my smoking basically looks like this:
Weekdays - sometimes I go an entire week without a smoke from monday to Friday.
Weekends - this is when I usually smoke during a meal.
Months - sometimes I managed to go two months without smoking
But recently...over the last two months I'll admit that I was smoking at least one cigarrette a day and a tad more than that on the weekend - so I was just asking for trouble I guess...
It's just once I break my routine of parcing out the smoking (for instance the "no smoking on weekdays" routine)...then it's all down hill... But some times a month is more stressful and I instinctively turn to cigarettes to deal with it.
Then I get sick, and I get very pensive about smoking at time when I'm having trouble breathing (naturally)
And the first thing that comes to mind is... to what extent am I just chronically ill with this on a seasonal basis - and to what extent is it smoking related?
Certainly my overall health routine (or lack thereof) does have a vissible impact on how I get sick.
For instance, this year, since I have smoked far less and - more importantly - have been regularly going to the gym to work out at least three times a week for about 3 hours per work out on average (still far from Arnie's 5 hours per DAY...) ... my illness is very light this year.
Usualy I'd be coughing up a storm, have a high fever and be totally bed ridden and incapacitated. I would also have a horrible throat ache.
This time, yeah I'm coughing - but it's not as bad as it was in the past. My throat doesn't ache at all (thank goodness), my fever is either non-existent or very low (and even then it's likely asprin induced). And I'm generally mobile - although physically tired from fighting the illness.
I think another thing that helped is that I have a car. Before having a car, I got around everywhere by bus, tram and metro. This is all fine and dandy until the fall and the winter. Waiting for a bus in freezing wheather is bad - no matter how well bundled up you are. And since I worked as an english teacher and had to travel from one part of town to another depending on where my classes were being held - I ended up traveling in the rain, wind and freezing snow a lot.
Now I just get into my car which is super warm and heated and lovely and man...what a difference a car makes! It's so awesome! I mean - just for the warmth. Forget even the pleasure of driving - just the fact that I no longer need to freeze at the bus stop is a big plus.
That said - I'm sick anyways.
I usually think that the main cause of my illness was excess smoking. My body has a tolerance level - and I KNEW I exceeded it last week - but I stupidly smoked three more cigarrettes on Tuesday after going without any on Monday.
I had none on Monday because over the weekend I felt that I had had all the niccoteene/tabacco I could take and decided - no more for now.
If I just hadn't had those stupid 3 smokes on Teusday - I'm sure I'd be healthy now...
Or would I?
If this is a flu - you know, one that's just routine and going around...then would it make a difference if I'd smoked or not?
Even as a kid, I had chronic bronchitus, and I sure didn't smoke back then....
In terms of medication - I'm just using asprin now, although I did also buy a bottle of Vodka. I know it sounds stupid, but a Ukrainian girl I knew introduced me to their recipy for the flu: It's a shot glass full to the brink with pepper, and then you pour vodka into it.
Best if it's a "double" sized shot glass.
You take it down in one gulp - and man does it burn - but ostensibly it helps.
The problem is, it only helps in the short run...since I guess ultimately vodka and pepper have no concievable medical effects on the actual virus sitting in my bronchial tracts.
Technically, I could keep drinking, but then I'd just get drunk, and truth be told I don't like the taste of vodka (clear vodka) enough to want to drink a whole bottle.
Beyond that - hot tee with cherry juice, grapefruit juice, mineral water and just time and rest have always seen me through.
Most people in Poland tend to take anti-biotics for stuff like this, but I've always been opposed to the practice because from what I've read, it weakens the immune system, and one ought not use such strong medicine on common flus - no matter how annoying and ostensibly painful a flu can be.
Anyways - the good news is that usually once I'm passed my bought of winter-flu...it doesn't come back any more till next year.
But yeah...I shouldn't have had those three cigarrettes...frinkin' ruined everything... I was feeling pretty bad last week...I guess I felt it coming on...and I went to the gym all weekend and then monday in the hopes that physical exercise would scare it away...
And I think it might have..but then I smoked those three cigs and bam...flu...
Anyways - can't wait to get back to the gym.
And first person to suggest I picked up the flu at the gym gets a sour look from me
Pete
