What's the difference between a cold and the flu?
I feel terrible — sore throat, stuffy nose, body aches, mild fever. Is this a cold or the flu? Does it matter which one it is? My coworker says to take zinc and echinacea but my doctor says those don't work. When should I actually see a doctor vs just waiting it out? I missed two days of work and my boss is annoyed.
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I work in healthcare and see this question frequently. The short answer is that individual results vary enormously. What works for one person might not work for another. The best approach is to work with your doctor to find what's right for your specific situation.
6 Answers
I work in healthcare and see this question frequently. The short answer is that individual results vary enormously. What works for one person might not work for another. The best approach is to work with your doctor to find what's right for your specific situation.
Stress does more damage to your health than people give it credit for. Half the physical symptoms I used to worry about turned out to be tension and anxiety. Sometimes the best medicine is a vacation and a good night's sleep.
Be careful trusting health advice you find on the internet, including mine. There's a LOT of junk out there — supplement companies and diet gurus trying to sell you something. WebMD is decent for general info but it can't replace an actual doctor.
The boring stuff actually works: get enough sleep, drink water, move your body every day, eat more vegetables, don't smoke. There's no magic pill. The companies selling magic pills are the ones making money off people wanting an easy answer.
Talk to a pharmacist — they're an underrated resource and they're free to talk to. They know a ton about medications and interactions and can tell you whether something is worth a doctor visit or whether an over-the-counter remedy will do.
I'm not a doctor and you should definitely talk to your physician about this. That said, the general medical consensus seems to be that moderation is key. Most health concerns come from extremes in either direction.
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