Here are some tips for staying healthy through flu season with a natural, non-pharmaceutical approach. The jury is still out on the flu vaccine and I will not be discussing the pros and cons of the vaccine in this article. I do recommend you read the latest research and decide for yourself regarding the flu vaccine, so you can decide what is right for you.
FLU AND COLD PREVENTION:
1.
The number
one tactic to avoid the flu is to wash your hands, often and
thoroughly. Wash for at least 20
seconds, using lots of friction (studies show that friction is even more
important than the soap or water temperature).
Try not to use antibacterial soap every day, if you can, as anti-bacterial
soaps kill the good bugs along with the bad, causing you to lose your natural
defense barrier. Check out this article
on antibacterial soaps to learn all the reasons why you might consider reducing
or eliminating them from your routine -- http://www.webmd.com/health-ehome-9/antibacterial-soap-cleaners.
2.
Break the habit of touching your eyes, nose and
mouth. This can be a hard habit to
change, but breaking this habit is a simple way to reduce the chances of coming
down with a cold or flu.
3.
If you are the type of person that seems to
catch every bug that comes your way, consider adding an adaptogen to your diet,
such as maitake mushrooms. Adaptogens
can help your body build immunity. You
can also take the astragalus herb to boost your immunity – be sure to consult
with your physician before taking any supplements.
4.
It may sound silly to you, but try changing your
attitude about flu season. Consider not
buying into the collective consciousness of flu season. Tell yourself, “I don’t do the flu.” You will be amazed how much affect your
attitudes have on your body.
5.
Exercise aerobically on a regular basis. Some studies show that exercise, especially
exercise that causes you to sweat, helps keep stress levels down and immunity
up.
Tune
in next week for tips on how to manage the first signs of cold or flu.
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