Cold & Flu Prevention

The best way to prevent flu is to stay healthy! Here are some specific guidelines:

Eliminate all types of sugar from your diet, including sucrose, fructose, honey, maple syrup, high fructose corn syrup or flours that are not 100% whole grain (i.e. enriched wheat flour, bleached flour, etc.). Sugar and flour actually weaken your immune system, leaving you susceptible to colds and flus.

Eat a whole-foods (non-processed) diet rich in vegetables, grass-fed meats, beans, nuts, seeds and some fruits. These real foods will support the healthy functioning of all systems.

Eat fermented foods. Foods such as sauerkraut, tempeh, miso, kombucha, yogurt and sour cream contain the naturally occurring, beneficial bacteria that normally reside in our intestines. Make sure the label says ‘contains live cultures’ or make these items at home. Eating them on a regular basis restores and fortifies our gut flora, which is responsible for helping our immunity, absorbing nutrients, having regular bowel movements and more. Taking a probiotic supplement is another way to replenish your bowel flora. Ask Dr. Amber for recommended brands.

Exercise. We don’t know exactly why but moderate exercise is proven to increase your immunity. It’s never too late to start! Talk to me regarding a specific plan for you.

Wash hands frequently and thoroughly. You don’t need ‘anti-bacterial’ soap; simple soap and water will remove most bacteria and viruses from your hands. Wash the fronts and backs of your hands, between your fingers, under the nails and under rings.

Rest. Consistent, adequate sleep is vitally important to overall health and paramount to a healthy and well-functioning immune system. Make sure you are getting 7-9 hours of sleep a night. This is when your body repairs and regenerates.

Eat garlic regularly. In soup, stir-fried, sautéed, roasted, swallowed raw or boiled in a tea. Garlic is one of the most antimicrobial and antiviral compounds out there. It also helps keep the vampires away!

Don’t worry about a thing. Every little thing is going to be all right. Stress increases your cortisol levels, which in turn lowers your immunity, accelerates aging and causes ‘fat storage’. You must create some sort of ‘down time’ for yourself. This doesn’t mean watching TV! Meditation, writing a journal, yoga, prayer, massage, taking bubble baths or walks in nature or doing anything else that allows you to truly relax will help you stay healthy.

Take Fish Oil. Fish oil contains Omega 3 fatty acids which are necessary for a properly functioning immune system among many other health benefits.

Drink Elderberry Syrup. Elderberry is specifically beneficial in strengthening the immune system against viruses—which most flus and colds are. Look for a brand that is organically harvested or wild-crafted and is in a non-sugary base (i.e. not glucose-, sucrose- or honey-based). I like Wise Woman’s Elderberry Syrup in a glycerin base.