5 Ways to Prevent Seasonal Flu

Seasonal flu can kill you and those you love. We have all heard the warnings concerning seasonal flu and we should be diligent in protecting ourselves and others from the seasonal flu. According to the Centers For Disease control somewhere between 5 and 20 percent of the US population will catch the seasonal flu. The CDC also reports that seasonal flu hospitalizes more than 200,000 people, and 36,000 people die each year from the flu. In order to protect you and your family you must take some steps to protect yourself and your family.

In order to give your family and those you care about the best opportunity to avoid the seasonal flu make these practices part of your every day routine.

1. Wash your hands frequently. You may feel like you have some type of obsessive compulsive disorder, but washing your hands with hot soapy water will definitely keep you and those around you protected from seasonal flu. Hand sanitizers have been shown to offer some additional help from contracting the seasonal flu. A March 2006 report in the Emerging Infectious Disease Journal showed that hand sanitizers should contain at least 60% alcohol in order to be most effective.
2. Keep your hands away from your face. Any and every attempt at touching your face and others faces should be avoided. According to lungsonline.com, "influenza enters the body through the mouth, nose or eyes". Seasonal flu can be avoided when we limit the places and frequency that it can enter our body.
3. Get familiar with salt water. Use it as a gargle rinse and as a nostril rinse to help rid the seasonal flu from your throat and nose. According to a report written in the March 23^rd Scientific American, flu viruses such as the bird flu and swine flu reside deep in the throat and nose. Warm salt water is a good way to flush these viruses out of these areas.
4. Take care of your immunity system. You can do this in a number of way. Foods rich in Vitamin C, and a daily vitamin should be part of your every day routine. Getting plenty of rest and reducing stress will also help boost your immune system.
5. Avoid people who are sick. This may sound ridiculously simple but it should make plenty of sense. By avoiding those who are sick with seasonal flu you decrease your chances of getting sick, and you also prevent the ability to spread the seasonal flu to others you come in contact with. It should be also noted that if you are sick you should take every step possible to avoid those who are healthy.

Nobody likes getting sick. If we will commit to these and other healthy practices we can help protect ourselves and others from getting the seasonal flu.