It’s the holiday season and along with all the merrymaking we also have to be on guard against a bug that can not only put a monkey wrench in all our fun but make us extremely ill.  That bug would be influenza. However, there are people who never get the flu, or get it so mildly it brings only a few sniffles and tiredness.  Why? Their immune system has been primed to fight the flu. Here’s what you need to know about the flu and how to boost your immune system to beat it!

Prevent The Flu from Gripping You

There are many reasons to Fight the Flu. Not so much today, but for years in the past, influenza was referred to commonly as “the grip”.  It comes from the French word for the illness “grippe” and that’s really what it feels like too – something that has you in its “grip” for several days from which you struggle to free yourself. It is a highly contagious viral upper respiratory infection that makes your entire body ache with fever, cough, and nausea.  Not pleasant, I know.

The flu virus enters the body through the eyes, nose, or mouth in several ways – touching contaminated objects like doorknobs, countertops, or anything, really, that someone with the virus has touched, sneezed or coughed on. If you don’t wash your hands after touching things, you will transmit the bug to yourself whenever you touch your face.  Did you know that adults, on average, touch their face over 18 times a day and children much more? Lots of opportunities to give yourself the flu virus if you don’t wash your hands enough! In addition, someone who has the virus and is coughing, or sneezing near you can transmit germs into the air you breathe.  Once inside, it settles into your lungs and the illness sets in.

The elderly, very young children, and people with certain other health conditions are at the highest risk from serious consequences of the flu, mainly because their immune systems are not as strong as others. School age children are generally the largest carrier group of the flu virus as they come in contact with a great number of people in school and other activities.  Every year in the U.S., between 5% and 20% of the population gets the flu, about 200,000 suffer complications from it, and another 23,600 actually succumb to it.

Boost Your Immune System to Beat The Flu

Like my patients, you may already know the “you should” of generally staying healthy – getting the most nutritious foods/supplements, exercising regularly, drinking enough fluids, getting enough sleep and trying to minimize stress. During flu season, though, it’s crucial to arm yourself against getting sick by ramping up these measures. Here’s why:

• Nutrition:  Therapeutic amounts of antioxidants, Vitamin C, A, E, zinc and Vitamin D3 really help boost the immune system.  Supplementation of at least 500-1,000 mg a day of Vitamin C, 3,000 of A as beta carotene, 400 mg of E, and 100 mg of zinc.  Studies show that people do not get enough Vitamin D3. In winter months, when the sun is not as strong, it is even more important to supplement D3. People who take D3, 1-2,000 IU a day (although can safely go to 5,000 IU a day), have very low-to-no incidents of flu or colds, or they get much milder forms. One study revealed D3 to prevent flu better than vaccines or antivirals. A Japanese study found it to ward off flu and asthma attacks.
• Exercise:  During the winter months, we all tend to slack off with regular exercise.  However, the flu season is the most important time to keep exercising. Raising your heart rate and sweating on a regular basis helps keep your immune system healthy. Doing rebounding on a mini-trampoline also helps flush out your lymph system and keep viruses from gaining a stronghold.
• Rest:  Sleeping at least 6-8 hours a night is one of the best hedges against getting sick.  When you’re tired, your immune system gets weak and cannot repair itself properly.
• Fluids:  It’s always important to drink enough water, but even more so during flu season.   Dehydration weakens your immune system and makes your kidneys and liver fight harder to get rid of toxins, viruses and bacteria you come in contact with.
• Hygiene:  Hand washing is the most simple and effective way to keep from getting the flu.  This is especially true if you are out in public using restrooms, shopping or mingling in crowds, frequenting restaurants, attending holiday parties, etc. Also carry a small bottle of nasal saline spray that you can squirt in your nostrils and blow out after being in public. This flushes out any flu viruses you may breathe in while in public.
• Vaccine:  Flu vaccines are readily available in almost every big drugstore chain nationwide as well as your private doctor’s office. Statistics show they do prevent the flu from occurring, or a much milder form of it, but some people may not tolerate them.
• Flu Symptom Relievers:  If you do get the flu, you can go to your doctor, or an urgent care walk-in clinic, and get a dose of Tamiflu. Over-the-counter analgesics like ibuprofen, or more natural white willow bark, can be used for muscle aches. OTC preparations like Thera-Flu can relieve symptoms and help you sleep.  Antihistamines, like Benadryl, dry up runny noses and eyes.  Cough syrups with a mucus-thinning agent helps break up lung congestion. Taken at the early onset of symptoms, homeopathic “Os” or “Oscillo” (short for oscillicoccinum) helps shorten and weaken symptoms.

No one wants to get the flu, especially during the holidays.  It’s no fun, makes you feel lousy and, worse, can be very dangerous. If you follow the advice offered above to boost your immune system, it will go a long way in arming you against getting the flu, or any other viral or bacterial infection, this flu season. Happy, Healthy Holidays!

Stay well,
Mark Rosenberg, M.D.
Natural Health News