How to Avoid Getting Cold and Flu

Getting a cold or flu may be no fun at all, especially if you have a weakness in your respiratory system. The cold may linger for a long time or move into bronchitis, ear infection, sinusitis, or even pneumonia. Usually kids share similar health problems to their parents and the whole family gets sick.

In order to avoid succumbing to cold or flu, you need to keep your immune system strong. We all get exposed to the same germs, but not everybody gets sick.

Here are a few guidelines to help you and your family stay healthy during this fall-winter season:

Make sleep your priority this winter. If you do not get enough sleep at night, put the sleeping time in your schedule. If there is just not enough time to sleep during your 24-hour day, try to catch up on your sleep on a weekend. Recent research shows a direct link between lack of sleep and lowered immunity, weight gain, high blood sugar, and many other health problems.

Make sure you eat a good diet. While I do believe that everybody needs to have an individualized diet plan, there are a few dietary principles that are the same for all of us:

• Avoid sugar and refined flower products.
• Every time you eat a sugary snack, you lower your immunity for a few hours afterwards.
• Make sure you eat a variety of foods.
• If you eat the same food every day, you are probably already sensitive to it and should look for a healthy substitute.
• At least 40% of your diet should consist of vegetables of all colors.
• Try to cook for your family as much as you can, this way you will avoid food colorings, preservatives, and other additives found in ready-made food.
• Eat foods grown locally, they are not only fresh, have less chemicals and preservatives, but are also more in tune with your body and will enhance your immunity.

Good hygiene is always important, including hand washing, not touching your face, and covering your mouth if you cough.

A good defense against cold and flu is a herb called Astragalus. It is used in Chinese Medicine to improve the immune function and prevent colds and upper respiratory infections. Studies have shown that Astragalus has antiviral properties and stimulates the immune system, suggesting that it is indeed effective at preventing colds.

Omega-3 supplements help the body resist viruses and bacteria. Good Omega-3 fat supplement is fish oil, cold liver oil or DHA from algae.

This wonderful gemmotherapy complex of buds supports most common upper respiratory infections. It stimulates your immune system to nip the cold or flu in the bud or supports you while you are sick, shortening the duration of the illness. I have used it a lot in my practice with great results.

The components of the complex are: Hornbeam (buds), a natural decongestant supports acute or chronic sinusitis, Dog Rose (young shoots) for runny nose (coryza) and headaches while also support your own natural killer cells, Black Poplar (buds) for the support of post nasal drip, cough and pharyngitis often associated with sinusitis, Black Elder (buds) similar to that of Tami-flu aids in shortening the duration of viral infection and assisting in breaking down excessive mucus, Black Currant (buds) are anti-inflammatory and supports the immunity. Walnut (buds) are a natural antiviral and antibiotic.

Influenzinum

A homeopathic remedy Influenzinum, made from a flu vaccine every fall season, will help your body establish immunity to cold and flu viruses. Take 3 pellets of Influenzinum 30C once a month. If you or your child are coming down with a cold or a flu, take 3 pellets of Influenzinum 30C 3 times a day for a few days. Take a few additional doses of Influenzinum 30C if your have been exposed to a cold or flu virus at home or at work. If you have already developed cold or flu symptoms, you may benefit from other homeopathic remedies that are selected individually for your symptoms. You can take Influenzinum even if you have already done a flu shot. Call my office at 650-740-7500 to get your Influeninum 30C remedies.

If you or your children have a tendency to get sick with cold or flu frequently or develop ear infections, cough or wheezing after a cold, you may benefit from a constitutional homeopathic care. Usually people who suffer from frequent colds have an imbalance in their immune system. A professional homeopath will select for you a homeopathic remedy that will significantly improve your immunity.