How To Prevent Colds, Flu, and Other Viral Illnesses

Cheap and Easy Ways To Stay Well

• Wash your hands often, especially when in public. Take a few extra seconds and make sure you wash effectively. First, take a paper towel and turn on the water. Wet your hands and use soap. Work up a lather and wash between fingers and under rings. You should wash for at least 30 seconds. Rinse and use the paper towel to turn the water off. Get a second paper towel to dry your hands and use it to open the door of the restroom. Throw away the towel on your way out. You can reduce your chances of getting a cold or flu significantly with just this one habit.
• Drink lots of water during the cold and flu season. Water keeps your cells hydrated and secretions thin. When secretions get thick, they can become infected.
• Use essential oils to kill germs in your home and office, not harmful chemicals that stress your lungs, liver, and kidneys. Most essential oils have antimicrobial properties but several are especially effective against cold and flu viruses, namely eucalyptus, lemon, and oregano. The best part is that these oils also boost your immune system while eliminating nasty germs and they smell nice, too! Mix the oils with water and spray your environment often. Try to use natural remedies whenever possible to keep your exposure to toxins at a minimum, thus allowing your body to heal itself naturally.
• Make sure the nerves running from your spine to your vital organs are working at their optimal performance. In order for your body to operate at its peak, the messages from your brain need to be able to get to the organs without interference. That's why it is essential to have your spine checked for proper form and function. I'm not a chiropractor but my family have all been seeing one for over three years and I can attest that we have had at least a 75% reduction in the number of colds and flu. As a matter of fact, no one in my family has had the flu in over 3 years!
• Keep your nasal passages moist, especially during air travel. Planes are notorious for circulating airborne viruses. Dry, cracked nasal membranes are more susceptible to invasion by microbes so inhaling a water-based hydrating mist containing essential oils helps keep them healthy and supple.
• I won't get too technical, but a recent article in Science News (Nov. 11, 2006, Vol. 170, No. 20) is titled, "The Antibiotic Vitamin". It talks about the effectiveness of this vitamin to combat bacteria, viruses, and fungi. One ward in a psychiatric hospital that was experiencing an outbreak of a virulent strain of influenza in 2005 remained disease-free, while the wards surrounding it were systematically quarantined due to numerous patients contracting the disease. The hypothesis? The patients in that particular ward were all taking Vitamin D. Makes sense, doesn't it? Colds and flu hit most often during the months we rarely venture outside. Our bodies absorb Vitamin D through exposure to sunlight. Perhaps that's why the government starts administering flu shots during October and November. The flu is actually circulating throughout the year, it's just that we become more susceptible during the winter months. Milk, anyone?
• Exercise at least three times a week. Aim for 30 - 45 minutes a day to boost immunity and reduce stress, a major immunity-buster. Exercise has been called the best preventative medicine there is.