Strengthen Your Immune System to Stay Healthy This Fall & Winter

In a world where so few of us have health care plans, and people are careless about spreading germs, we could all use a few health-saving tips. The media is currently scaring everyone, stating that 1 in every 3 people will come down with Swine Flu this year. This may be true, but I intend to fight Swine Flu, and every other flu bug out there tooth and nail! Nothing is worse than going to a doctor only to be told "you have the flu, now go home and sleep, drink plenty of fluids, and pay me $100 for this visit". Gee, thanks doc. You've done me a world of good. Since this is the song and dance most of us get for expensive doctor visits, it's time to take matters into our own hands. By following the below tips, I've been able to cut my instance of illness down to once or twice a year - when previously, my weak immune system was causing me to catch every single bug that drifted past, leading to 5 or 6 cold and flu bouts per year.

The most important step is to staying healthy is to attempt prevention by removing yourself from situations or people where contagions are flourishing. Try to avoid small areas packed with people and children - ie: movie theaters, churches, school functions, malls, airplanes. While it may not be reasonable to avoid all people filled areas all the time, do what you can do avoid them during a big cold or flu outbreak. If you are forced into a situation where you are among many people, there are a few tips you can follow to stay healthy. If seated or standing near a person who is coughing and sneezing, move away from them by politely excusing yourself. If this situation occurs on an airplane, explain the situation to the stewardess and see if an extra seat is available elsewhere. Always pack a mask and hand sanitizer and/or wipes in your carry-on luggage so you're prepared for this situation. If seated next to a "walking germ" at an event, who insists on talking to you while sneezing and coughing, fake receive an emergency text or call to escape. If people at your workplace are sick and rudely come to work anyways, bring a small can of Lysol with you to spray your area and the area of the sick person while he or she is away on a break. While you're at it, spray down your workplace bathroom with the Lysol as well. It's disturbing how many people neglect to wash their hands and cough or sneeze all over the bathroom. Above all, if forced into one of these situations, try to breathe mainly through your nose (the tiny hairs in our noses help prevent germs from entering the body) and completely avoid touching your mouth, eyes and nose since these are common entry points for germs.

Wherever you are, sanitize, sanitize, sanitize! Viruses can stay airborne for 3 whole days and can live on hard surfaces for 3 hours or more. If one family member is sick, wash their bedding and thoroughly sanitize their room while wearing a mask and gloves - then sanitize the rest of your house. If your spouse is ill, have he or she sleep in a separate room, at least for the first 3 days of their sickness when it is most contagious. If you remain in the same bed at night, catching the illness is almost unavoidable. Make sure to wipe down and spray all commonly touched surfaces such as doorknobs, sides of doors, kitchen cabinets, lamps, TV remotes, light switches, faucets, toilets, all handles (including refrigerator) cellphones, purses, pens, and even credit cards. Humidity also makes a big difference in keeping bacteria at bay. No bacteria or virus can live on a dry surace with a humidity of less than 10 percent. Food particles, blood, mucus, and skin cells thrive in a moist environment and lie in wait for a human host. Moist areas of your shower and kitchen harbor these offenders - so keeping any frequently used and damp areas of your house dry and sanitized is very important. Some items you can purchase to protect yourself include: Plastic Gloves, Dust Mask, Lysol, Plenty of Disposable Sponges, Clorox Non-Bleaching Sanitizing Wipes, and Vicks Early Defense Foaming Hand Sanitizer (fights germs on hands for up to 3 hours).

If you've been exposed to an area with highly contagious people, watch for early warning signs of sickness: extreme fatigue, itchy burning eyes, stuffy nose, scratchy throat, plugged ears, loss of appetite, headache and heaviness in the chest. All too often, people ignore these symptoms. I don't know how many times I've heard people say "If I think I'm not sick, then I won't get sick". That is the most IDIOTIC thing I've ever heard! Cold and Flu viruses do not respond to positive thinking and denial never prevented anyone from getting sick! However, germs do respond to supplements, extra rest and a healthy diet - allowing you to ward off an illness if it's just begun. Once you've decided you may be on the verge of catching something, don't wait to start treatment until your symptoms are full-blown. Immediately do what you can to start eating fewer processed and sugary foods, get additional rest, and start taking supplements. Don't push yourself to work and play, getting too little rest and nutrition, only to wind up getting sick. Skip out on unnecessary events and instead stay home to rest. Contrary to what you may think, life will go on without you. You can wait until you feel better to participate in certain events.

Once you feel these symptoms coming on, adjust your diet to strengthen your immune system. Many common cold & flus can be avoided by such a simple adjustment. Viruses and bacteria feed off of sugar, so by cutting your intake of sugary foods and sodas, and refined carbohydrates, you drastically cut your chances of getting sick. The goal is to alkalize your body to a neutral PH balance so that illness cannot fester within your system. To do so, increase your intake of green foods and vegetables by 30 - 50 percent and drink a few glasses of water with a freshly squeezed lemon daily. In addition, lower or completely cut intake of starches, carbohydrates, and sugar, and focus on eating protein such as eggs, cheese, chicken, steak, and fish instead. If you're craving something sweet, go with watermelon slices. Watermelon is a healthy food that helps neutralize the acids in your body. A common mistake among sick people is to rely on orange juice and fruit - thinking the Vitamin C content will magically cure them. The truth is, the negative effect of sugar content in these items far outweighs the benefit of the Vitamin C content. If you want vitamin C when you're coming down with a bug, take a supplement instead. Some people can't seem to avoid sweet drinks. If this describes you, try mixing one part fruit punch or orange juice with one part water. By doing so, you cut the sugar content of one serving in half. If you're normally a soda-guzzler, ditch the soda when your immune system feels run down and switch to water, or hot or cold tea. These have no sugar content and tea is full of health boosting anti-oxidants. Supplemental whole foods can also help in this process of warding off illness. There are many "green food" supplements at health food stores, in either tablet or powder form, which contain wheatgrass and whole foods. These will also neutralize and cleanse your body, and are a great quick fix to balance your blood sugar after you've eaten a sugary snack.

This leads us to discussion of supplements. During every cold season, there is a debate over which supplements work for fighting colds & flu, and which do not. In the past, I've discovered that supplements will not do much of anything after you've gotten past day 1 of your sickness. However, a few are highly effective if taken prior to getting sick. The ones I will list are great immune system boosters & will cut your chances of getting sick in the first place. When you are either on the verge of illness, or wanting to prevent illness after being exposed to germs, take all of these supplements daily for 1-2 weeks. This group is not meant to be taken constantly, every day throughout the year - they are meant to be taken in 1-2 week intervals when your body's defenses are down. Of course, you can take one or the other, as needed, but as a full course of supplements, these are most effective when taken in combination with each other daily, for only 1-2 weeks out of each month.

Garlic: This is a natural anti-biotic and anti-oxidant. It boosts the immune system, and is one of the few which will actually help after you've come down with a sinus, bronchial or ear infection. It has antiseptic properties that get rid of the infection about twice as fast as letting it go away on its own. I've actually used garlic in successfully fighting all three of these infections. Garlic is most effective when eaten raw, or taken in supplement form. Once the garlic is cooked, most of the nutritional value disappears. When you start to feel the slightest tingling sensation in your ears, nose or chest, take two 2000mg Garlic Tablets daily with a meal. Doing so almost always gets rid of the infection within a couple of days, or prevents it from starting in the first place. The only people who aren't advised to take Garlic Supplements are those with blood clotting disorders, or those already on blood thinners. Something in the Garlic Tablets can cause adverse reactions, so if this applies to you, check with a pharmacist first.

Immune Boosters: There are a couple of potent herbs that bolster the immune system. You can either purchase these separately, or take 1 combination supplement. Olive Leaf and Andrographis are especially effective in battling cold and flu bugs when taken right when the very first symptoms are noticed. Olive Leaf is well known for its anti-bacterial and anti-inflamatory properties. Containing more than double the antioxidants of green tea, it inhibits the replication of many pathogens - sometimes enabling your body to stop a bug in its tracks. People with low blood pressure and diabetes should consult a pharmacy before taking Olive Leaf, as it's been known to interact with medications that lower blood pressure and glucose levels. Andrographis is derived from a shrub found throughout India and Asia and is sometimes called "Indian Echinacea". This amazing supplement was credited for stopping the Indian Flu Epidemic of 1919, and was historically even used for people with snake bites and skin infections. With all these immune bolstering properties, Andrographis can certainly help your body's resistance to cold and flu bugs!

Milk Thistle: This one is especially important if your immune system is run down due to alcohol or drug use. Every bit of "poison" we so often put into our bodies for the sake of fun is filtered through our liver. In turn, excessive use of these can result in a sluggish liver and depressed immune system. Milk Thistle Tablets detoxify the liver and strengthen it back up to health. People who frequently use drugs and/or alcohol should take 500mg - 1000mg daily with a glass of water. Once you start doing so, you will probably notice a strong smell to your urine. This is proof that toxins are being flushed from your system, paving the way for a cleaner liver that functions more efficiently.

Daily Multi-Vitamin with Immune Boosters and Whole Foods: It is definitely to your advantage to find a quality multi-vitamin to take throughout the year. The best one I've found to date is by Nature's Plus, called Source of Life Immune Booster. At around 30.00 per bottle of 90 tablets (a one month supply), it's a bit pricey, but once you read all the ingredients you'll understand why. This multi-vitamin provides about 20 times more ingredients than I've ever seen in a vitamin. Containing a host of immune boosting herbs, the daily value of all your vitamins, plus a range of vegetable whole foods, it's a price I'm more than willing to pay to stay healthy. This is one supplement you can take all throughout the year to keep your body strong and your immune defenses up to par. Also, this multi-vitamin is designed by a quality brand that uses no synthetic ingredients or fillers that many cheaper drug-store brands use to keep costs down. Nothing is worse than purchasing a supplement, only to have it not fully break down in your system. When you purchase vitamins with a hard synthetic outer coating, you are essentially throwing your money down the toilet. To test your vitamin and see whether or not it has a synthetic coating, place it in a glass of warm water and watch what happens after two hours. If the tablet is hard and barely broken down, this means it won't do much more when inside your stomach, even with the help of stomach acid. If it has disintegrated into tiny particles, this means it is water soluble. You can rest assured it will dissolve in your stomach and get distributed throughout your blood-stream.

With a little bit of help, hopefully we can avoid cold and flu bugs this season - especially the dreaded Swine Flu. If you take your health seriously and make an effort to follow these tips, you can probably look forward to a happy healthy year!