5 steps to get ready for flu season

Flu season is here and if you haven’t already been working to boost your immune system, you better start now if you want to avoid the runny nose, coughing, fever and body aches that can last for days to weeks.

Even if you regularly get your flu shot, it’s vital to take steps at home to stay as healthy as possible since not only is there no guarantee that this year’s shot will actually work on the strains of flu that will be going around but there are new one’s popping up all the time – one’s that could very well be deadly.

In fact, according to research by a professor of pathobiological sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, there is one of the flu viruses that was first identified in 2013 that could now have potential to cause a pandemic…

The H7N9 avian virus.

From chickens to humans

This virus began circulating among poultry in China in 2013. And, as of late July 2017, it has caused several waves of human infection – with nearly 1,600 people testing positive for H7N9. Of those infected, nearly 40 percent have died.

With that startling number in mind, Professor Yoshihiro Kawaoka and his research team began testing on a sample of the virus they received from a Chinese man who died after being infected.

And, what they found is even scarier…

Not only is the virus lethal in ferrets (the best animal model proxy for human influenza infections), it can also be transmitted from one to the next, killing both the original host and those subsequently infected.

In simple terms, not only can humans get this virus from infected chickens, they can then give it to each other, spreading it further and further.

To top it off, the sample of the virus tested by the researchers showed that the man who died from the virus had been treated using Tamiflu (a drug used to fight flu viruses and shorten its duration and severity). However, once exposed to the drug, the virus was able to mutate and become resistant to the Tamiflu.

This means that Tamiflu, one of the lines of defense our government has in fighting a global flu pandemic would be useless against this strain.

Frightening, right?

Fighting the flu at home

You’re probably wondering what you can do to stay well and fight off flu viruses when even a strong drug like Tamiflu won’t work.

The answer is to focus on keeping your immune system strong at all times so that it can protect you against exposure to flu viruses, whether it’s just the everyday strain that you can kick in a week or a new one that pops up, threatening your health and your life.

Here are the five steps you should take to boost your immune system and get ready for flu season.

#1 – Heal Your Gut

Immune health starts in your gut with the healthy bacteria that live there. Take probiotics and eat fermented foods, like kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi daily to help strengthen your gut health. Get enough fiber to ward off superbugs and disease.

#2 – Eat Well

Avoid sugar, gluten and processed foods that irritate and inflame your gut and lower your immune system.  Read my colleagues story about what happened when she gave up sugar, gluten and dairy.

#3 – Stay Active

Exercise is a great immune booster. In fact, research shows that people who regularly exercise get fewer colds, so stay active. See what Dr. Michael Cutler has to say about physical fitness for a strong immune system.

#4 – Rest

In order to maintain a healthy immune system, you also need to get plenty of sleep. Shoot for eight to nine hours each night and don’t be afraid to take some time each day for a power nap. Sleep may be the best natural cold and flu prevention.

#5 – Optimize Vitamin D

Getting enough vitamin D could mean the difference between getting sick and staying flu-free. In fact, multiple studies show a link between low vitamin D levels and respiratory infections.  Shoot for 15 – 20 minutes a day of safe sun exposure or choose a high quality D3 supplement with at least 5,000 IUs a day. A preventative a simple as vitamin D may just cut your colds and flu in half.

Don’t let the flu take you down this season. Boost your immune system using the five steps above to stay healthy and safe.