When the weather begins to change, you may gain a little excitement knowing of all the seasonal activities and holidays that are just around the corner. It also may bring a little dread knowing the flu is lurking behind every handshake, cough and sneeze you encounter.
The symptoms associated with the flu can make you feel miserable and knock you on your butt without any hesitation. The muscle aches, chronic fatigue, sore throat, runny nose, and fever you experience can come on quickly and last up to two weeks. There could also be a risk of developing more serious illnesses like sinus infections, pneumonia, or meningitis.
What are some things you can do to stay healthy if you've caught the flu?
- Keep up with your fluids (make sure to drink enough water)
- Wash your hands before eating or touching your face
- Wipe and disinfect shared spaces
- Practice good nutrition
- Use a humidifier
- Get enough sleep
Sometimes, flu medicine can make you feel drowsy and take days to take control of your symptoms. However, if you need to go to get back to work, or have a child at home that needs to go back to school, there are several over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol and some nasal sprays .
What else do you need to know about natural ways to combat the flu this season?
Tanya Remer Altmann, MD, FAAP, joins Dr. Holly to discuss some home remedies and over-the-counter options for fighting the flu.
Featuring:
Tanya Remer Altmann, MD, FAAP
A working mother and UCLA-trained pediatrician who practices in Southern California, Dr. Tanya Remer Altmann is a best-selling author, network television parenting expert, and entertainment industry consultant.
Dr. Tanya is an American Academy of Pediatrics spokesperson, approved by the national physician organization to communicate complicated medical issues into easily understood concepts.
As a child health expert for numerous news programs and talk shows, including
Today (NBC) and
KTLA 5 Morning News @9 (CW Los Angeles), Dr. Tanya has discussed breaking medical news stories and controversial parenting issues.
Dr. Tanya has a broad understanding of the most recent medical developments. In addition to her private practice, she is an Assistant Clinical Professor at Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA and is the Chief Medical Advisor for the Newborn Channel.
Mommy Calls: Dr. Tanya Answers Parents' Top 101 Questions About Babies and Toddlers, hit several best sellers' lists after its release.
She is also Editor-in-Chief of the American Academy of Pediatrics' parenting book,
The Wonder Years, and Associate Medical Editor of their best selling
Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5.
When parenting questions arise, Dr. Tanya has the answers—she has been quoted in hundreds of periodicals, including
Newsweek, USA Today, Los Angeles Times and
Parents magazine. Her popular parenting workshops help parents through day-to-day child rearing challenges, and she responds to concerned caregivers and blogs on controversial topics for a variety of health and parenting websites including WebMD and TODAYMoms.
Entering the new era of social media, Dr. Tanya is on the Editorial Advisory Board for Sharecare, a new interactive healthcare website.
Dr. Tanya has served on the board of the National Association of Medical Communicators and the executive board of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Committee on Communications and Media. She completed her internship and residency at UCLA, received her medical degree from the Sackler School of Medicine, and her Bachelor of Arts degree from Claremont McKenna College.
