Tis the season for coming down with the flu!
There's something going around; we asked readers what their favourite home remedy is when they're feeling under the weather
1. Feeling awful? Have a bowlful
Chicken noodle soup is one of my favourite remedies for the flu! How does it work? I have no idea. It's just something I'm always craving every time I get the sniffles!
Janna Dizon, 14, HKMA David Li Kwok Po College
2. Quit faking it!
Our home remedy for the flu is to finish your homework. That way you won't be skipping school because you have "the flu".
Bakhita Fung, 13, Island School
3. Smother me in bedding
Since it's usually the cold weather that causes colds, I just lie in bed, buried under piles of heavy blankets! They warm me up, and it's like getting a hug from someone you love. It's so warm and comfortable that you'll fall asleep, and when you wake up, the flu will be gone!
Ng Kwun-ting, 16, South Tuen Mun Government Secondary School
4. From A to Zzzzzzz
No home remedy can beat sleep - it costs nothing but your time, and it is incredibly efficient!
Cynthia Huang, 15, Chinese International School
5. Try scraping!
Skin scraping is one of the most popular Chinese medicine treatments. It helps rid my body of bugs, and even helps to enhance my immune system. It must work; I mean, we've been using it for 2,000 years!
Bear Hung, 17, Law Ting Pong Secondary School
6. Don't move a muscle
I believe the best way to get rid of the flu is to simply not move at all! You can either sleep the whole day or binge-watch TV shows. Embrace your inner couch potato! Sometimes all your body needs is a bit of rest and you will get that after a day of being stationary. Your flu will be gone quicker than last week's pocket money.
Christy Cheung, 15, St Paul's Co-educational College
7. No-fuss with citrus
Lemonade contains lots of vitamins (e.g. vitamin C) and minerals (e.g. potassium) which help to strengthen the body's immune system and defend against viruses. This is my favourite home remedy, because whenever I catch a cold, drinking two or three glasses of lemonade a day helps me to recover quickly and avoid catching a cold again. It's also the best tasting medicine!
Jenny Wong, 15, School of the Nations (Macau)
8. Don't go out, veg out
Whenever I have the flu, I stay at home. More specifically, I stay in bed. I wrap myself in blankets and sleep on the sofa-bed to watch five hours of continuous BBC Classics while dunking cookies in milk. It takes my mind off being sick and surprisingly, it always works!
June Rippon, 12, Marymount Secondary School
9. Enjoy it while you can
Why would you want a remedy at this time of the year when you are being bombarded by exams? I've been trying so, so hard to pick up a bug for the past week. Enjoy it while you can, seriously.
Annette Kim, 15, Chinese International School
10. Curry heals in a hurry
My favourite home remedy for flu is eating spicy Thai curry. Whenever I have a cold, my mum adds lots of extra spice and flavour to the dish; and although my nose might start to run a lot faster after the meal, the remedy works wonders and I usually get up the next morning flu-free! Not to mention, it's an excellent excuse to add Thai dishes to our dinner menu, good news for this Thai food fanatic!
Joy Pamnani, 16, PLK Ngan Po Ling College
Next week:
We all know the best things about Christmas (presents, duh), so for our next Top 10, tell us what you hate about Christmas. Is it the stress of choosing the perfect present? Is it all that weight you're going to gain? We want to hear it. Send your answer, together with your name, age and school, to [email protected] with "Top 10" in the subject field. The best answers will be published in the next Top 10 page!