Natural Flu Prevention

The flu is a viral infection that causes symptoms of chills, body aches, headache, fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, and malaise (general ill feeling). Most people will get the flu during the late fall-early winter. There are steps we can take to help in preventing the flu as well as natural methods to cope with the associated symptoms. Prevention primarily deals with keeping your immune system as strong as possible so your body can ward off infection.

Prevention

Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables will give your body the vitamins and minerals necessary to keep your immune system, along with the many other systems of the body, functioning optimally.

Getting enough sleep is important for many body functions. Sleep allows the body to rejuvenate and restore. It is important for memory, learning, mood enhancement, nervous system function, immunity, and physical and mental growth and development. Most adults need 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.

Regular exercise is important for immunity, mood enhancement, and stress reduction, increasing oxygen and nutrient flow to the heart and lungs, energy enhancement, better sleep, decreased fatigue, and lowering or maintaining weight, blood pressure and cholesterol.

Sugar has many negative effects on your health

• Suppression of the immune system

• Interference with mineral absorption

• Decreased tissue elasticity and function

• Link to osteoporosis

• Decreased insulin sensitivity (eventually leading to diabetes)

• Increased blood pressure

• Hyperactivity, followed by drowsiness and crash

• Contributes to eczema in children

• Headaches

• Dependence on sugar

Stress reduction is important because uncontrolled stress can cause headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, skin conditions, asthma, or arthritis in addition to depression and anxiety. Although everyone has different ways to cope with stress, some stress reduction techniques include stretching, breathing exercises, taking a walk, journaling, talking to a friend, cardiovascular exercise, playing a sport, gardening, getting a massage, or listening to music.

Understand your body’s innate wisdom. A common symptom associated with the flu is fever, which creates a generalized weakness and fatigue. Your body needs rest so it can fight the infection, rejuvenate, and heal.

Water helps to replace fluids that are lost through sweating, runny nose, vomiting, urination, and bowel movements. In fact, the body is made up of approximately 2/3 water.

Eating plain foods like vegetables and broth makes it relatively simple for your digestive system to break down the food into the nutrients that it needs to fight the infection. Heavily spiced foods may act as irritants to the digestive tract. Meanwhile, avoiding dairy products will prevent excess mucus production which may help to decrease any coughing that may be present.

Chiropractic adjustments will help your muscles to relax, allowing for reduced body aches, headache, and malaise. In addition, through chiropractic adjustments, your nervous system will be better able to communicate with the healing areas of your body, especially the immune system, and therefore, you should be able to overcome the flu more efficiently.

Herbal or homeopathic remedies may act as natural decongestants or analgesics (pain reducers).

Stay healthy this winter with these practical tips!