Flu and Cold Prevention Tips
Beat the Flu Season with Natural Defenses!
Do headlines about the flu season frighten you? Chiropractic physicians at National University of Health Sciences (NUHS) offer natural alternatives that can give your immune system the edge it needs to stave off an invading virus.
When the flu is going around, it’s important to get plenty of rest. If you are feeling tired, stop and rest. Go to bed a little earlier. Exerting yourself when feeling tired will decrease your body’s ability to stave off infections. We all know it’s hard for our bodies to perform at their best when we’re tired. It’s the same for our immune system.
Good nutrition also keeps your body’s defenses at peak performance. Eat more fruits and vegetables than dairy and meat, and increase your vitamin C intake. Start out with 1000 mg per day in divided doses with meals. Increase on the fifth day to 2000 mg per day in divided doses. The best type of vitamin C to use for enhanced resilience to infection is l-ascorbate.
Although it’s cold outside, don’t just huddle away for the winter in your cozy chair. Moderate exercise is more important than ever during flu season. Going for a walk at lunch time or using a treadmill will provide you with increased immune function.
Common sense measures are important to prevent contracting and spreading the flu virus. Avoid contact with those you know are infected. Wash your hands frequently throughout the day, especially if you are in close proximity to someone with the flu. Don’t touch your face, as virus on your hands find easy entry into the body through your eyes, ears, nose and mouth.
If you smoke, or are exposed to second-hand smoke, you should know that you are more likely to contract viral infections. Why? Because smoke dries out your nasal passages and paralyzes cilia, the tiny hairs that normally sweep germs and debris out of the nasal passages.
If you do become ill or feel the “flu coming on” make sure you go home and rest to isolate yourself from others. Using homeopathic remedies can help fight off the flu if you take them at the first signs of symptoms. These are non-toxic substances that work nicely without side-effects and provide relief very quickly. Call your chiropractor or natural health food store for a recommendation.
Drink fresh water and juices. Keeping yourself hydrated with pure water and fresh juices will enable your body to flush out inflammatory bi-products. Increase vitamin C intake while you’re ill.
Finally, its important not to let regular good health habits slide during the busy holiday season. Holiday stress, busy social agendas, rich food and drinks pull people away from good health habits that they work hard on the rest of the year. Unfortunately, the holiday season, and immediately afterwards, is also the cold and flu season. NUHS clinic physicians recommend that keeping your health routines intact, including regular check-ups and chiropractic adjustments, will give you the best odds for staying healthy.