It’s Flu Season – Please keep yourself healthy!

What is influenza (also called flu)? According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and lungs. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death.

How do you know if you have the Flu?  People who have the flu often feel some or all of these signs and symptoms:

Fever* or feeling feverish/chills

Cough

Sore throat

Runny or stuffy nose

Muscle or body aches

Headaches

Fatigue (very tired)

Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.

*It’s important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.

Most experts believe that flu viruses spread mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby. Less often, a person might also get flu by touching a surface or object that has flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth, eyes or possibly their nose.

CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses.

Take everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs.

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.

Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.)

While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.

When we are sick we seek out comfort foods, things that remind of us of home.  Here is one of our favorites and the BBQ Doctor’s recipe of the week:

The Lady’s Chicken Noodle Soup

Submitted by Shanan Johnson – Controller 

Senior Solutions Management Group – Suwanee, GA

Stock:

1 (2 ½ – 3 lb) Fryer Chicken – cut up

3 ½ quarts water

1 onion, peeled/diced

1 ½ -2 tsp. Italian seasoning

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 bay leaves

3 chicken bouillon cubes

1 tsp. Lemon-pepper seasoning

Soup:

2 cups sliced carrots

2 cups sliced celery, w/leafy green tops

2 ½ cups uncooked egg noodles

1 cup sliced mushrooms

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley leaves

1/3 cup cooking sherry

2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1 cup grated  Parmesan, optional

¾ cup heavy cream, optional

Seasoning Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Crusty French bread for serving

For the Stock:

Add all ingredients to a soup pot. Cook until chicken is tender, about 35-45 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and set aside to cool. Remove and discard bay leaves and onion.  You should have approximately 3 quarts of stock. When chicken is cool enough to touch, pick bones clean, discarding bones, skin, and cartilage. Set chicken aside.

For the Soup:

Bring stock back to boil, add carrots, and cook for 3 minutes. Add celery and continue to cook for 5-10 minutes. Add egg noodles and cook according to directions on package. When noodles are done, add chicken, mushrooms, parsley, sherry, and rosemary.  Add parmesan and cream, if using. Cook for another 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning, if needed, by adding seasoning, salt and pepper.  Enjoy along with a nice hot crusty loaf of French bread.

Serves 8-10. Enjoy and Stay Healthy!

Join us for Dinner or contact a Community today to request your copy of The BBQ Doctor’s Cookbook – A compilation of Classic Recipes from the families, residents and employees of Senior Solutions communities – Antebellum Grove, Warner Robins – GA; Carriage House Inn, Shelbyville – TN; Lakewood Place, Loudon – TN; River Oaks Place, Lenoir City – TN, River Oaks Place, Loudon – TN; Jamestowne Assisted Living, Kingston – TN; Wellspring Senior Living and Oakwood Senior Living, Knoxville – TN, and our newest addition – The Guest House at The Alexander Inn Senior Living – Oak Ridge, TN.

What’s your favorite comfort food when you are under the weather?