What to do about the Flu?

The Top 5 Ways to Boost your Immunity

These days it’s hard to go anywhere without hearing folks chatting about the flu, vaccines and of course H1N1. The information is overwhelming and the choices are many for protecting yourself and your loved ones. In this edition of Nutrition Corner, my goal is to provide some recommendations that can compliment any other tools you wish to use in your fight against the flu.

Rest. Sleep is one of the single most important things your can do for yourself to support your immune system. Each person has their own individual requirements for adequate rest. Ideally, you should try to hit the pillow before midnight, as the hours before 12am are extremely recuperative for your system. If you wake up naturally (before the alarm) your body is adequately rested. Less than 6.5 hours of sleep per night can compromise your immunity.

Play. What we know for certain is that how we feel can impact the way our bodies function. Long-term, chronic stress is shown to have the most negative effects, creating detrimental changes in our entire immune function.  Stressful feelings are an inevitable part of life, but the goal for greatest health is to return to a state of calm, peace and joy asap! Watch a comedian on TV, play games with your kids, walk your dog, listen to your favourite song on the radio and sing along... activities that bring a smile to your face are great weapons again illness!

Exercise. Pathogens, viruses and bacteria cannot survive in well oxygenated environments. When we exercise we bring oxygen rich blood to all the cells in our body, creating an environment that is inhospitable to nasty bugs.

Eat. Food and nutrition play a tremendous role in our ability to fight infection.

Foods to Limit or Avoid:

Sugar is known to suppress the immune system for hours after consumption.

Cow’s milk dairy products & wheat gluten can create mucous in the body, which provides a breeding ground for bacteria to thrive.

Foods to Consume:

Anti-oxidant rich foods, including a variety of brightly coloured fruits and veggies will provide the raw materials your body needs to stay strong and healthy.

Fibre rich foods are an important part of your flu-fighting regime, as constipation puts a tremendous strain on your immune system and weakens your natural defences.  Adults should aim for 35 grams of fibre per day.

D-ficient? You will want to boost your intake of this important vitamin. The Vitamin D Council recommends, with average sun exposure, supplementing with 4,000-5,000 IU of Vitamin D3 per day for adults and 2,000-3,000 IU per day for children.

Vitamin C and Zinc are great options at the on-set of symptoms.