Be Prepared
After hearing about flu season everywhere I go, I decided that should be the topic of my article today! There are two main forms of the flu that we all need to be on the watch for. The first being the seasonal (common) flu and the other is the more serious “swine” flu, or the H1N1 flu.
The seasonal flu is the flu that a lot of people have immunity against or can get a simple vaccination for. However, swine flu is a little more serious and is mainly transmitted through coughing or sneezing of people infected with the influenza virus. People may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. If you believe you might be coming down with the flu (either type), its best to stay home and lay low.
Some ways you can prevent coming down with the flu include:
- Consume a healthy diet full of whole, immune-advancing, foods such as locally grown meats, poultry, dairy, fruits and vegetables raised organically and chemical-free
- Use whole food supplements for “insurance” such as probiotics and vitamin C. Cod liver oil and coconut oil may also reduce chances in contracting influenza
- Get enough sleep and try to maintain a consistent sleep schedule as best as possible
- Reduce stress by practicing yoga and journaling your thoughts.
- Practice proper hygiene
Some common symptoms of influenza include coughing, sneezing, fever, body aches, chills, fatigue, nausea and vomiting. Symptoms can pop up very quickly without much notice and the best thing to do is see your doctor immediately.
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Hm…I think Jenna posted GREAT tips for living a healthy life *in general,* but when it comes to protecting yourself from the flu, particularly H1N1, the main focus should be on hygiene, which I wish Jenna had elaborated on. Hand-washing is SO important, and it pains me to see so many people doing it wrong in public restrooms! We need to be using hot water, soap, aggressive hand-scrubbing action for at *minimum* 20 seconds, each and every time. I’m only going on about this because I seriously DO want to prevent myself and others from getting sick, and I’m sorry, but yoga (as much as I love it) will not prevent the spread of H1N1. Proper hygiene practices are the BEST way to prevent getting sick, and I only wish someone could elaborate on what that actually means, since so many people are still only rinsing their hands with cold water and coughing into their hands instead of their shoulder/arm.
Also, Vitamin D has been show to fight against the flu (some research has suggested that it’s more effective than Vitamin C), and it makes sense–we get much less of it in the winter from the sunlight, which is also when the flu starts to spread. So I’m also taking a Vitamin D supplement, especially since the current RDA is expected to be much lower than what we actually need.
[...] Yesterday I went to my office, aka Starbucks, and enjoyed another lovely nonfat pumpkin spice latte while writing a True/Slant article on ways to prevent the flu! [...]