Simple Yet Effective Strategies Your Doctor Won't Tell You About to Prevent a Cold or Flu

The cooler weather is upon us and soon there will be colds and flu galore popping up.

But why do some people get sick while others sail through cold and flu season feeling fine?

The difference lies in prevention…and if you want to remain healthy and virus-free, here are eight very effective steps you can take to help make that happen:

Prevention strategy #1: Get your Zzzzs

To all you Night Owls out there: this is not the time of year to skimp on sleep.

Lacking sleep can compromise your immune system functioning, making you more susceptible to infections and viruses…and even just one night of poor sleep can take a big toll.

A study was done on healthy male volunteers in which they were deprived of sleep for a single night. The next day the activity of their natural killer immune cells fell by as much as 30 percent!

Make sure you’re getting seven to nine hours of sleep per night.

Prevention strategy #2: Keep it clean

Washing your hands frequently throughout the day is crucial, especially after being in public places.

Ordinary soap and water is best—no need for the anti-bacterial formulas. Actually anti-bacterial soaps can work against you to reduce your body’s ability to fight off bacteria.

Prevention strategy #3: Dress warm

Mom always said to dress warm or you’ll catch a cold…and she wasn’t entirely wrong.

While simply stepping outside in cold weather without a jacket doesn’t cause a cold, hypothermia (the lowering of your body’s core temperature) suppresses immunity, which can lead to colds.

In addition, vasoconstriction (when blood vessels close to the outside of your body, such as those found in your nose, get narrow) leads to dryness, and the dryness can compromise your nose’s ability to filter out infections.

Prevention strategy #4: Eat the right foods…and stay away from the wrong ones

Here are the foods that will help support a strong immune system and virus prevention:

Fish rich in Omega-3 essential fatty acids: These include salmon, tuna and cod. Omega-3 EFAs are the precursors for series-3 prostaglandins, which are compounds that help regulate your immune system.
Brightly colored fruits and vegetables: These are rich in vitamins A, C and E as well as phytonutrients, all of which enhance your immune system functioning.
Onions: Onions contain compounds that have antibiotic properties and serve as a natural anti-inflammatory.

Garlic: Garlic has sulfur-containing compounds such as allicin that have been shown to be effective in fighting the common cold.

On the flip side, here are immune-depressing foods which should be avoided at all cost:

Vegetable oils exposed to high heat: These produce harmful substances that damage your immune system.

Refined carbohydrates, processed food and fast food: Rather than nourishing you, these deplete your body’s supplies of vitamins and minerals that are necessary for proper immune function.
Sugar: This out and out reduces the responsiveness of your immune cells.

Prevention strategy #5: Move your body…other than to the refrigerator and back during commercials

Exercise helps boosts immunity by nourishing your cells with more oxygen and blood, and it also helps you release harmful toxins when you sweat.

So pick an activity you like or will at least tolerate, get your doctor’s OK (especially if you haven’t exercised in a while or ever) and get moving at least three to four times a week.

Prevention strategy #6: Chill out

Stress causes changes to your gut microbes which in turn can hamper your immune system functioning.

That’s why you seem to get sick easier when you’re under stress-your body literally can’t fight off sickness as well.

Do whatever works for you. Exercise is a great stress reducer, plus you can try meditation, counseling, prayer, yoga, deep breathing or even taking up a hobby.

Prevention strategy #7: Get enough vitamins C and D

Although most nutrients have some kind of positive effect on your immune system functioning, vitamins C and D are the immune superstars.

Good sources of vitamin C include parsley, broccoli, bell peppers, strawberries, oranges, lemon juice, papaya, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens and Brussels sprouts.

If you want to supplement, be sure to look for a fully buffered Vitamin C-mineral ascorbate.

Vitamin D food sources are limited but include shrimp, milk, cod and eggs.

As far as supplements go, look for formulas that provide vitamin D3 as well as vitamin K (which works in partnership with vitamin D for added bone and cardiovascular support).

Prevention strategy #8: Supplement with probiotics

Nothing supports your immune system like a healthy dose of the same beneficial bacteria that reside in your gut and house about 70 percent of that immune system!

Look for probiotic supplements that have a wide variety of bacteria from both the lactobacillus species and the bifidobacterium species.

Note: Always let your doctor know what supplements you are taking.

Cold and flu season will soon be upon us, but it doesn’t have to take its toll on you.

Put these effective prevention strategies to work for you, and chances are excellent that you will be able to better fight off illness not only through the cold and flu season, but 12 months a year!