Strategies for Avoiding the Flu

Acceptance attitude
We all face some stress every day, but if stress becomes overwhelming then your body will be less able to fight off the flu and other illness.  Acceptance of what life has to bring is an important stress management tool.

Avoid omega-6 oils
It is also vitally important to avoid damaged omega-6 oils that are trans fats and in processed foods as these oils will seriously damage your immune response.

Eliminate sugar and processed foods
Sugar decreases the function of your immune system almost immediately, and as you likely know, a strong immune system is key to fighting off viruses and other illness. Be aware that sugar is present in foods you may not suspect, like ketchup and fruit juice.

Exercise
When you exercise, you increase your circulation and your blood flow throughout your body. The components of your immune system are also better circulated, which means your immune system has a better chance of finding an illness before it spreads.

Garlic
Garlic works like a broad-spectrum antibiotic against bacteria, virus, and protozoa in the body. And unlike with antibiotics, no resistance can be built up so it is an absolutely safe product to use. However, if you are allergic or don’t enjoy fresh garlic it would be best to avoid as it will likely cause more harm than good.  As an alternative you can pop deodorized garlic pills.

Omega 3 fatty acids
Increase your intake of healthy and essential fats like the omega-3′s found in fish oil and krill oil.

Foods containing Quercitin help you avoid the flu

To increase your odds of staying well during flu season, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables that contain quercetin.  It is an antioxidant that has been shown in research studies to reduce the risk of flu in mice.  While mice aren’t men, their immune systems are similar in many ways to ours.  So a word to the wise, consume quercetin.

Red onions have quadruple the quercetin of most other produce.  Eat them raw or cooked, though cooking foods with quercetin may make the antioxidant more easily absorbed.

Red wine is another top dietary source.

Apples, blueberries, broccoli, lettuce and spinach also contain this important flu fighter.
So, eat your veggies, have some fruit and relax with a glass of red wine.  AND, on top of that you may avoid having flu this year.

Sleep well
Just like it becomes harder for you to get your daily tasks done if you’re tired, if your body is overly fatigued it will be harder for it to fight the flu.

Vitamin D Supplements

While you may not be able to relocate to the tropics for your daily dose of sunshine in the winter you can boost your D levels by taking supplements.

How much should you take?  It depends on where you live.  For example, in Wisconsin there isn’t enough UVB radiation during the winter to stimulate vitamin D production.  Northerners need a lot.

You can safely take 2,000 IU a day.  Some doctors recommend that you simply increase your vitamin D intake to 2,000 IU during the flu season to enhance your immunity.  Just to compare this to a sunny summer day, your body can produce 20,000 IU in just 20 minutes if you don’t use sun screen.

John Cannel, MD, an innovative physician with a keen interest in vitamin D, says he used to take more than 50,000 IU for three days at the onset of a viral infection, and it put him back in the pink in no time.

Wash your hands regularly
Washing your hands will decrease your likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or other people. Be sure you don’t use antibacterial soap for this — antibacterial soaps are completely unnecessary, and they cause far more harm than good. Instead, identify a simple chemical-free soap that you can switch your family to.

Resource Center:

• Virology Journal 2008, 5: 29
• BC News.ca October 22, 2008

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