Influenza is no minor illness. Up to 300,00 people a year land in the hospital because of it. Even more frightening, as many as 40,000 of them die.
If you're a senior, or have a serious heart or lung disease, you're at the greatest risk for coming down with a dangerous case of the flu. That's because your immune system might not be strong enough on its own to fend off the infection. But like a heavyweight boxer in training, you can get your body into prime flu-fighting shape. Start by pumping up your immune system with these training tips, then kill he bugs before they can attack.
Exercise for health. A healthy lifestyle is one of the simplest ways to protect yourself from the flu and other infections. Exercise and eat a balanced diet, and your immune system could pack the punch of George Foreman.
Save yourself with selenium. Found in meat, wheat, rice, and other grains, selenium is part of an antioxidant that helps your body fight off infections. A shortage of selenium could therefore weaken your immune system and lead to a more severe case of the flu. Deficiencies of certain nutrients like selenium may also lead to mutations in flu bugs and other viruses, creating even more harmful germs.
Most people don't have to worry about getting enough selenium. But if you don't eat a balanced diet, or if you have chronic heart or lung disease, you might be at risk. Talk with your doctor about supplements.
Ease out of colds with echinacea. Echinacea could be your ticket out of a cold. Experts agree - the herb can cut the time you spend sick and lessen the severity of your symptoms. If you're taking echinacea extract, the recommended dose is 300 milligrams (mg) three times a day. For whole herb supplements, take 1 to 2 grams three times a day.
Whichever kind you use, start as soon as you feel sniffly and sneezy, and keep taking it for one to two weeks. But be careful - echinacea is good for short-term relief, but not long-term prevention. Using echinacea on a regular basis for too long can actually weaken your immune system.
Soap Up. While washing your hands could be the best way to get those bugs before they get you, don't buy special antibacterial soap to get the job done. Since viruses cause colds and flu, the antibacterial chemical in these soaps will have no effect on them anyway. If you just want to get clean, plain old soap will do - it's the actual motion of washing your hands that gets rid of most bacteria. Besides, antibacterial soap can acutally do more harm than good. It's probably killing just as many good bacteria as bad, and creating antibiotic-resistant super bugs in the process.
Say No to Mold. A damp home is just not good for your lungs. Mold and mildew may trigger inflammation in your respiratory system, leaving you more vulnerable to colds. The biggest risks are the patches of fungus you can actually see. Not only will they put you in danger of getting more viral infections, but they also weaken your resistance to bronchitis, pneumonia, and allergies. That's enough to make you take on spring-cleaning in spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Tea off on germs. Killing viruses might be as easy as enjoying a cool glass of iced tea on a hot summer day. While researchers haven't tested their theory on animals or humans yet, they believe certain varieties of tea may knock out viruses almost on contact.
Black tea seemed to work better than the green variety, and store-bought iced teas worked just as well as the home-brewed kind.
© FCA Publishing
Excerpt from FC&A’s The Folk Remedy Encyclopedia.
