The ‘tail’ of flu syndromes in recent weeks has hit hard, putting many Italians in bed. And the typical post-flu aftermath have often added to the effects of the change of season, exacerbating the sense of tiredness and fatigue. For recovery “there is no magic wand. We need to recalibrate lifestyles: healthy eating, good sleep, movement, never forgetting to drink and also social life”. The ‘recipe’ is dictated by Giorgio Sesti, professor of Internal Medicine at the Sapienza University of Rome and president of the Italian Society of Internal Medicine (Simi).
The first piece of advice is to adopt “a correct diet, therefore eat in a balanced way, don’t skip meals, obviously don’t overdo it with alcoholic beverages and exciting drinks such as coffee or tea, which can exacerbate the sense of agitation” . It is important, then, adds Sesti, “to do constant physical activity, but those who have allergies in these periods must pay particular attention, avoiding outdoor activities and following therapies”. For everyone else the standard rules apply. “Those who have a sedentary job must remember that every 30 minutes you have to get up and do 3-5 minutes of movement, stretching, walking up and down a floor and so on.”
Another fundamental aspect “is sleep, so sleep, avoid staying late, drinking alcohol in the evening or coffee and tea. Avoid having audiovisual systems in the room, television, PC, mobile phone and anything that can distract from the sleep that recharges us. During sleep, in fact, we recharge our body a bit like batteries”, recalls the internal medicine doctor. As regards supplements, “the concept – he points out – is that only the deficiencies are integrated. If I have an unbalanced diet or an extreme diet or a diet poor in foods, then I have to supplement there. Those who have a balanced diet do not have any need”. Furthermore, “a very important thing is to drink. We always drink too little, however it is essential to keep both our kidneys functioning and to avoid a concentration of blood and urine”. Finally, Sesti concludes, the most frequent mistake must be avoided: that of “giving in to tiredness, rejecting social relationships. This is wrong, because conviviality helps recovery”.
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