Recovery safe cold and flu remedies from The Recovery Book.

1. Cold and Flu Remedies
for People in Recovery
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2. Cold and Flu Remedies for
People in Recovery
People in recovery from addiction to
drugs or alcohol need to avoid taking medication
for cold and flu symptoms. Al J. Mooney, MD, author of
The Recovery Book, has a dozen ideas for recovery-safe
ways to manage your symptoms.
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3. Avoid risky things
The biggest risk for people in recovery is relapse
triggered by use of a mind-altering drug. Your cold or
flu will pass in a few days. Don’t take any drugs that
put you at risk for a relapse. A relapse is much more
dangerous than a temporary illness.
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4. Treat your cough safely
Use things around the house to
make cough medicine. Mix three
tablespoons of lemon juice with
a cup of honey. Stir in a quarter
cup of warm water. Take two tablespoons
every four to six hours and at bedtime.
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5. Keep your head elevated
Elevate your head at night. Use two pillows. Place
one crossways like you normally sleep with it, and
the second one lengthwise on a slant to keep your
head up a little.
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6. Breathe humid air
Humidity is helpful. Take a long shower twice a day,
and run a humidifier if you have one. Steam vaporizers
are probably best.
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7. Gargle for a sore throat
Mix a teaspoon of salt in a glass of
warm water; gargle with it several times
a day. If a sore throat is severe or
persistent, get a throat culture to rule out
a strep infection (which needs antibiotics).
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8. Use saline nose spray
Use a saline nose spray. Ayr, Ocean, and Simply
Saline are all similar and okay. Use the saline as
often as you need it to help keep sinus passages
clear and prevent a sinus infection, which could
require antibiotics.
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9. Clear your ears (1)
Sinus passages can get congested during the
inflammatory reaction of an upper respiratory
infection, and air passages to the ears can get
blocked. Try chewing gum or swallowing hard to
relieve the ear pressure.
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10. Clear your ears (2)
Another way to relieve ear pressure
is the Valsalva maneuver. Close
your mouth, hold your nose, and
blow out like you are blowing up
a balloon. Repeat several times
a day.
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11. Intensify your recovery plan (1)
There is a tendency to avoid recovery activities when
sick. Sickness can make a person more vulnerable,
so meetings and other recovery activities can be
even more important during times of illness.
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12. Intensify your recovery plan (2)
If you can’t get to meetings, talk
with your sponsor or others on
the phone. Schedule a bedside
meeting. Try an online meeting.
Ask a friend to bring a laptop or
phone to a meeting and include you by video chat.
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13. Take medication when other
things don’t work
Non-medicated cough drops can
help with a cough or a dry or sore
throat. For aches and pains, try
acetaminophen (two 325 mg) or
ibuprofen (two 200 mg). Severe flu
can be treated with prescription antiviral medications.
TheRecoveryBook.com

14. Get plenty of rest
Healing from illness requires your body to call on
reserves. Continue your normal activities if
symptoms are minor. If symptoms are severe, stick
close to home. Chill out and make sure you get the
rest you need.
TheRecoveryBook.com

15. Drink plenty of fluids
Drink non-caffeinated fluids so you don’t
add to the misery by getting anxiety from
too much caffeine. Water is best, but fruit
juices and sports drinks can add calories
when you’re too sick to eat or have a
sore throat.
TheRecoveryBook.com

16. Thank you to Dot Mooney, who originally developed
these cold and flu remedies. Dot and her husband, Dr.
John Mooney, founded Willingway Hospital, a
treatment center for addiction, in the 1960s.
ThankYou, Dot Mooney
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17. TheRecoveryBook.com
Al J. Mooney, MD
Catherine Dold
Howard Eisenberg
Facebook.com/TheRecoveryBook
@TheRecoveryBook
The Recovery Book:
Answers to All Your
Questions About
Addiction and Alcoholism
and Finding Health and
Happiness in Sobriety
Now available at Amazon and
other book retailers.