This flu season, stay healthy!

30th September 2010

A few days ago a Danish newspaper announced: "The flu season will officially start on the 1st of October". Another newspaper declared on their front page: "Two thirds of Danes not ready for winter flu season". So, even if this year there is no hype around swine flu or other especially dangerous variations of common flus, they are still going to hit many of us. Unlike many Danes (according to another research) believe, flu is not something, which will automatically hit us anyway, no matter what we do, but there are some actions we can take in our daily lives to avoid recurrent flu infections in our families.

I went through tens of websites with advice on flu prevention, and here is what I found to be repeated over and over again: 

1. Hygiene - washing hands is not enough

Advanced hygiene came up as the most efficient way to prevent flu infections. The germs can live on different surfaces for hours, even weeks, and most commonly we get the flu infection when we touch an infected surface with our hands, and then touch our faces, especially in the area of nose, eyes and mouth, or we eat something, which was infected by a random cough or sneeze (which we never saw happen). Frequent washing of hands is recommended, and twice per day washing of face, as well as paying attention to general hygiene at home, including the hygiene of foods, which are not cooked before eating (fruto|wash® with its germ killing powers will help you with that!).

2. Diet - natural nutrients, not the multivitamin pills...

"Apple a day keeps the doctor away" may not be enough to keep the flu away, but is the right direction! Instead of multivitamins and vitamin c tablets, the doctors recommend to boost the immune system with a varied diet containing plenty of low fat proteins (poultry, fish), fresh fruit and vegetables (especially dark green, red and yellow), low fat yoghurt (containing beneficial bacteria), whole grain products and minimum 8 glasses of water per day. For the intake a fresh fruit and vegetables, in Denmark the general recommendation is "6 portions a day" (portion being 100 g).

3. Sleep - "when" more important than "how much"

During sleep our bodies generate hormones like cortisol and melatonin, which are vital for keeping up a well functioning immune system, which can prevent both acute infections and long term illnesses like cancer. What was interesting was that "when you sleep" would seem to be more important than "how long you sleep" (though a 7 to 8 hours sleep was recommended). It was quoted that the sleep cycles starting before midnight were more effective than the sleep cycles starting after midnight, no matter how long they were.

4. Reducing stress - try active relaxation

Constant stress has been linked to increased risk of various diseases, including heart disease, cancer, lung ailment, accidents, cirrhosis of liver - and immune system related illnesses. One source mentioned that a 30 minute active relaxation per day can help to increase interleukins (leaders in the immune system response against flu and cold viruses) in the bloodstream.

6. Exercise - aerobic

Especially aerobic exercise, during which oxygen is transferred faster than normally from lungs to bloodstream, and which brings you to a good sweat helps to increase body's natural virus-killing cells. In Denmark 3 hours of exercise per week is recommended.

7. Take a sauna - quoted only in one reference, but as a Finn I must mention this!

A 1989 German study found that people who took sauna twice per week had half as many flu infections over the year compared to those who didn't. The theory was that inhaling air hotter than 80 degrees kills the cold and flu viruses. 

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You have most likely heard all the above before, but still many of us find ourselves fighting yet again with multiple virus infections this flu season. But who knows, maybe this year we will be better in implementing the generally repeated advice, and can enjoy the beautiful fall and winter days in full! From my side, I promise to do my best! 

Healthy fall and winter to all!