Prevent the flu naturally this winter season with these 7 easy tried and true methods! Don’t run to the doctors office to get the flu shot. With fillers like mercury, aluminum, animal tissues (aka. dog & monkey kidney, chick embryo), formaldehyde, human diploid cells (originating from human aborted fetal tissue), MSG, polysorbate 80 and 20, and many more, vaccines should be the last thing we put into our body.
Not only vaccines, but many prescription medications our doctors give to us are rarely required to help our conditions. It is our diets that reflect the dis-ease and illness we see today, and by fixing the way we think and eat can drastically reduce our chances of falling ill.
Use these 7 tips to help reduce your chance of getting sick this winter season!
1. Cut the junk, and eat fruits & vegetables
When we eat foods that are not natural to our diet, our immune system gets compromised and we have a higher chance of getting sick. Fruits and vegetables are nature’s own prescription medication! They contain the essential vitamins like vitamin C, A, B6 and E, as well as minerals like zinc, iron, copper and selenium, all of which are crucial in maintaining a healthy immune system. Vitamin C, especially, is efficient in combating both viral and bacterial infections. Make sure to eat a wide variety (think: RAINBOW) of fresh, whole fruits and vegetables to ensure your immune system acts as your own “vaccine” this season.
2. Get enough vitamin D
Vitamin D is important for all aspects of health, especially in strengthening your immune system. In one study from the Jikei University School of Medicine (1), vitamin D(3) supplementation during the winter helped reduce the incidence of influenza A by up to 42% (and these were children taking low doses of vitamin D3 – just 1,200 IU’s a day). Of course, the best form of vitamin D is from sun exposure, because when the sun hits our skin, not only does our skin synthesize vitamin D3, but also vitamin D3 sulphate. The sulphated vitamin D formed in your skin is water soluble and travels freely in your bloodstream. Vitamin D taken as a supplement is not water soluble and requires LDL cholesterol as a vehicle of transport. Getting outside to get some sun, even if it is cold, would be your best bet of acquiring vitamin D, however taking an oral vitamin D3 supplement is much better than getting no vitamin D at all.
3. Drink enough water
Staying well hydrated is another effective way of preventing illness and disease. Drinking plenty of fluids helps to flush the system, removing toxins and other viral infections. When the mucous membranes in our body are continuously moist, they are less likely to crack and let bacteria in. Aim for at least 2 litres of water daily, and more if you please (I personally consume around 4L daily)
4. Sleep more, stress less
Getting a good night’s sleep helps the immune system recharge. When we sleep our bodies repair themselves to get us ready for the next day. If we get little sleep and are constantly fatigued, our bodies no longer have the energy or strength to fight off illness. Getting at least 8 hours or more sleep per night will help your body fight off infectious viruses and bacteria.
5. Exercise regularly
Exercise helps to pump our lymphatic system which is responsible for filtering out foreign substances like bacteria, viruses and toxins from the interstitial fluid (fluid between our cells). The lymphatic system actually plays an important part in our immune system, helping to cleanse the liver and filter the kidneys. When we do not exercise, our lymphatic system becomes slow and gets blocked, similar to when a beaver builds a dam and blocks a river. When this happens, we experience fatigue, moodiness and more often than not, catch some kind of illness. Exercising for at least 30-60 minutes a day will help strengthen your immune system and will prevent you from catching the flu or other sickness.
6. Wash your hands
Keeping your hands clean is essential in preventing bacteria from entering your system. Your hands are used to rub your eyes, touch your nose, go near your mouth, and scratch your ears. The eyes, nose, mouth, and ears are all ways that bacteria and viruses can enter our bodies. Keeping our hands clean by washing them after going outside our homes helps reduce the chance that we will get ill. Aim for 30 seconds of rigorously washing your hands with a natural soap product in warm water.
7. Steer clear of the flu shot
Dr. J. Anthony Morris, the former Chief Vaccine Control Officer at the FDA stated that “There is no evidence that any influenza vaccine, thus far developed, is effective in preventing of mitigating any attack of influenza.” In fact, the fillers in vaccines will likely make you more sick, or may contribute to more harmful long-term illnesses in the future.
You do not require prescription medications or flu shots to make your body efficient at combating disease and illness. Consuming the right foods, getting enough sun, rest, water, and exercise, is one big recipe that will help your body become a powerhouse to ward off sickness!
Sources:
(1) Urashima, M., Segawa, T., Okazaki, M., Kurihara, M., Wada, Y. & Ida, H. (2010) Randomized trial of vitamin D supplementation to prevent seasonal influenza A in schoolchildren. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 91, 1255-1260.
