The Super Bowl has been one of the events with many memorable moments. One salient moment that grabbed headlines was when PINK performed the National Anthem on stage despite being sick with the flu.
According to a review by Harvard School of Public Health, this year flu outbreak has been particularly severe due to an early start to flu season and the dominance of a very acute flu strain, H2N2.
However, what caught my attention the most is seeing the term “Man Flu”. At first, I thought someone is poking fun but I was surprised by what I found the more I looked into it. Man flu is a supposedly insulting term given or referred to men who have the flu (or simply a cold) but tend to overreact to its symptoms. There’s still some continuing debate as to whether it really exists or not. We’ll present you with two scenarios based on facts and anecdotes, and offer some tips over treating man flu or any flu.
Fact: Man Flu Does Exist and Is Real
- According to a study published in the American Journal of Physiology, estrogenic compounds decrease the severity of Influenza A (flu) symptoms among women with the flu. These estrogenic compounds aren’t found in men so the possibility that they may have more severe symptoms could be real. Estrogenic compounds provide women with female-specific antiviral properties.
- If the flu isn’t addressed properly- i.e. with tender loving care, warm soup, rest, and certain natural remedies such as Karviva Detox drinks – it may lead to a lower respiratory tract infection such as pneumonia. In women, it has been discovered that estrogen is also a protective agent against pneumonia. Other diseases for which estrogen provides a protective effect include hepatitis viruses, Ebola, and HIV. So men may be more vulnerable to pneumonia developing alongside the flu.
- When it comes to infectious diseases (like the flu), the mortality rates are often higher in males compared to females. A study documented that certain infectious microorganisms have weapons (virulence factors) that harm men more than women. They bring out these special weapons when they’re about to infect men, but not women.
Fallacy: Man Flu Does Not Exist and Is Just Used to Gain Attention
- “Stop overreacting. It’s just the flu. Get out of bed and go to work!” says the wife. The term man flu was originally created to sell a magazine. A British magazine by the name of Nuts which ran from 2004 to 2014 is ostensibly pinpointed as the cause for the rise of popularity of the term “man flu” in one of its 2006 issues. An online survey from that magazine immediately concluded the existence of man flu and the rest became history.
- A cold IS NOT synonymous with the flu. People sometimes equate having a cold with the flu. Symptoms of a cold are limited to a specific anatomic body part like the nose or throat. The symptoms of the flu are more generalized, sudden, and usually involve fever, body aches, headache, loss of appetite, and difficulty breathing. More often than not, when a man or a woman tells you that they have the flu, it’s just a cold.
- No medical society in the world has accepted the existence of man flu. Also, it’s not listed in the International Classification of Diseases, a reference guide to the identification and classification of internationally accepted names of diseases.
Treatment For Man Flu Or Any Flu
- The treatment for man flu requires an understanding wife or girlfriend with lots of KARUNA (means Compassion)… seriously. Don’t mind all the complaining and just focus on the physical signs. Take the temperature, treat the runny nose and cough.
- Rest and sleep. Don’t try to exercise your way out of a man flu episode especially if your symptoms are generalized. And by rest, we mean turning off the TV or iPad. Your body needs time to recuperate and heal. This happens best while you’re asleep.
- Take some warm fluids like broths, soups, and herbal teas. They’re perfect for a sore throat, nose stuffiness, and coughing. This is especially true if you’re running a fever. It’s important to stay hydrated.
- A natural immune supporting supplement or product can help to speed up your recovery. I recommend Karviva Detox drink which contains the antioxidant level of more than 3 and half cups of blueberries. The aronia berry has been shown to have strong anti-viral activities in clinical studies, and the mung bean sprouts help your body flush out toxins naturally.
- See your primary healthcare practitioner if your symptoms persist.