No secret: people are sick more often with colds and flu during the winter. Possible reasons include loss of sunlight enriched vitamin D levels, exposure to cold and damp, indoor air quality, and greater indoor crowding. Most of these conditions are beyond individual control, but there are still things you can do for yourself to stay as healthy as possible during the winter. Some of the common wisdom prevails: stay warm and dry, get enough sleep and wash your hands frequently, using regular soap and water, not anti-bacterial wipes. Washing your hands will probably do more good, by the way, than wearing a mask. Additional steps you can take:
Eat healthy! Winter routines of course include healthy meals, even if they are crowded out a bit by holiday celebrations. Keep in mind that a hefty dose of sugar disables parts of your immune system for about 24 hours, so better to keep your splurges infrequent rather than daily. Keep on hand: homemade chicken broth is wonderful preventive medicine as well as first aid. Save those chicken bones and brew up a good pot for drinking on its own or with blended vegetables in soups.
Keep moving. Whether you resort to the gym or head for the slopes, keeping up your activity level, well hydrated and adequately clothed, help keep you healthy, too. Check out Anna’s blog on the subject for a little winter exercise inspiration.
Supplement wisely. I recommend a few winter basics to keep on hand with daily dosing suggestions, but recommend double doses for folks who get sick or who are exposed to illness.
Replace lost sunlight with vitamin D3 1-2 drops daily to keep your vitamin D levels normal.
Mushrooms are being increasingly recognized for their potent immune support, in both infectious and malignant disease. We recommend Fungi Perfecti Host Defense My Community Capsules, 60 Count, 3.2-Ounce.
Zinc is a vital component of a healthy immune response. Foods rich in zinc include red meat, eggs and oysters, so include them regularly in your diet. If you eat them frequently but wonder about zinc absorption, you might consider adding a digestive enzyme or simply a zinc supplement, 15 mg. daily.
Some form of fish oil, cod liver oil, or omega 3's can help bolster our natural response to inflammation.
And what to do if the best of preventive measures fail?
If you are a homeopathic patient and know your constitutional remedy, start with that remedy in a daily dose of that in a low potency (12C or 30C or LM), or select a homeopathic remedy from the list on the Flu Solutions page.
Boost your vitamin D for 3 days, taking 25,000-50,000 i.u. of vitamin D3 daily, then return to your usual winter dose.
Take zinc lozenges, 5 mg. every 2-4 hours.
Stay home! You may be contagious for up to a week from the start of symptoms. If you do go out, that might be a good time to wear a mask to protect others.
And finally, particularly if your illness is thankfully brief: continue your increased supplements for several days after you feel better to prevent relapses.
One might ask, what about the flu shot?I'll write a full blog post about this later, but I don't recommend the flu shot. Keep your immune system healthy year-round, perhaps some extra attention with the above supplements during flu season, and then ask it to work overtime if you feel yourself getting sick. Flu shots have shown to be of little value and have some considerable side effects. More about that soon.