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H1N1 already started the moment kids headed back to school. Even if you don’t have kids, you’re bound to come in indirect contact with a child at some point in your day between the super market and shaking hands with a businessman/father to three little ones. By enhancing your body’s natural infection-fighting mechanisms, you can oftentimes avoid illness — even if you are exposed to infectious organisms that are making other people sick. Practice these ten daily habits as a powerful preventative measure for protection against H1N1 Swine Flu.

1. Wash your hands often with soap and water. Flu and cold viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with colds or influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something – such as a surface or object like a door handle – with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. Since your hands come into contact with many different objects during the day, they have a higher chance of attracting germs.  You should wash your hands thoroughly and often—for 15-20 seconds with warm water and soap each time you wash. When you can’t escape to wash your hands, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Avoid touching your eyes, mouth or nose. If there are germs on your hands, putting them near your face is the surest way to get them in your system.

2. Avoid close proximity to sick people. Conversely, if you or your kids are sick with flu-like symptoms, the CDC recommends that you stay home from school, work, the gym, etc. for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone. Keep away from others as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness.

3. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you sneeze. Then throw the tissue in the trash after you use it and don’t touch anything or anyone until you wash your hands.

4. Exercise Regularly. Keeping fit and active helps to lower stress, increase oxygen levels in blood, and circulate lymph throughout the body. Simply 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day can help the immune system to optimally carry out its defense.

5. Eat nutrient-rich food. Consume a varied diet of colorful fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish and nuts to boost your immune system. Here are the top nutrients to add to your family’s diet so you’ll miss less school and work due to illness:

• Water helps keep mucous membranes moist enough to combat the viruses they encounter while flushing toxins out of the body.  Drink half your body weight in ounces of filtered water to ensure proper hydration (for instance:  If you weigh 150 pounds, you need 75 ounces of water each day).
• Vitamin C increases the production of infection-fighting white blood cells and antibodies and increases levels of interferon, the antibody that coats cell surfaces, preventing the entry of viruses.  Enough Vitamin C for optimal health can be obtained from five daily servings of fresh fruits and vegetables including kiwi fruit, papaya, mango, guavas, citrus fruits, strawberries, red peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, potatoes, and leafy greens like spinach.
• Vitamin E stimulates the production of natural killer cells, those that seek out and destroy germs and cancer cells. Vitamin E enhances the production of B-cells, the immune cells that produce antibodies that destroy bacteria. Vitamin E supplementation may also reverse some of the decline in immune response commonly seen in aging.  Foods high in vitamin E include sunflower seeds, almonds, peanut butter, olives, spinach, mustard greens, turnip greens, and papaya.
• Zinc increases the production of white blood cells that fight infection and helps them fight more aggressively. It also increases killer cells that fight against cancer and helps white cells release more antibodies.  It can be found in crab, oysters, eggs, turkey, beef, beens, pumpkin seeds, and wheat-germ.
• Selenium inhibits the formation of free radicals. It does this by activating an inhibitory enzyme that halts this process. Best food sources of selenium are tuna, red snapper, lobster, shrimp, whole grains, vegetables, brown rice, egg yolks, cottage cheese, chicken breast, sunflower seeds, garlic, Brazil nuts, and lamb chops.
• Vitamin B6 helps with the production of antibodies, aids in protein metabolism, and cellular growth. It helps maintain the health of lymphoid organs (thymus, spleen, and lymph nodes) that make your white blood cells. Vitamin B6 is also important for the absorption of zinc and is integral to the transfer of selenium in the body.  Good sources include bananas, baked potato with skin, carrots, lentils, tuna, salmon, sunflower seeds, and wholegrain flour.
• Carotenoids like beta carotene & lycopene increase the number of infection-fighting cells, natural killer cells, and helper T-cells, as well as being a powerful antioxidant that mops up excess free radicals that accelerate aging.  These compounds are largely responsible for the red, yellow, and orange color of fruits and vegetables, and are also found in many dark green vegetables. Think of vibrant colors when selecting carotenoid-rich foods starting with the reds like tomatoes, red bell peppers, ruby red grapefruit, through the oranges like carrots, papaya, squash, sweet potato, and on to the deep greens like spinach, kale, and collard greens.
• Garlic not only has natural anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties, but also has more than 70 sulfur-containing compounds that help the body make other immune-stimulating compounds such as cysteine and glutathione. This health-building herb is also rich in potassium, zinc, vitamins A and C, calcium, manganese, copper, vitamin B1 and iron.  Minced fresh is best- add to salads and fresh steamed veggies.
• Yogurt provides the body with healthy bacteria known as probiotics that help create a barrier effect in the intestinal tract and crowd out pathogens such as Salmonella. This helps strengthen the body’s first line of defense: preventing allergens and pathogens from getting into our bloodstream.  Avoid high-sugar versions and be sure to check the label for “live active cultures”.
• Lemons are the ideal food for restoring acid-alkali balance. Drinking freshly squeezed lemon juice in water, or adding it to tea, salad dressings, or cooking, helps to maintain the body’s internal “climate” at a pH which supports healthy bacteria instead of the viruses and harmful bacteria which thrive in more acidic environments.
• Essential fats are necessary for the body to absorb vitamins K, A, D, and E.  They are called “essential” because your body needs them for both physical and mental health.  Omega 3’s are particularly beneficial and can be found in cold water fish like salmon, albacore tuna, sardines, anchovies, and cod liver oil.  Non-fish sources include olive oil, ground flax meal, walnuts, and avocados.
• Virgin Coconut Oil like mother’s milk, is high in lauric acid which is known for its anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties that help prevent and fight viruses such as the flu, pneumonia, and MRSA. Aim for 3 tablespoons per day spread throughout each day.
• Echinacea is a substance that boosts the body’s immune system, but unlike traditional antibiotics that kill bacteria directly, echinacea works indirectly, killing the germ by strengthening your immune system.  There is evidence that it stimulates the body to produce more infection-fighting white blood cells, such as T-lymphocytes and germ-eating cells called macrophages. It may also stimulate the release of interferons, which infiltrates the genetic control center of germs, preventing them from reproducing. Echinacea also seems to search out and destroy some viruses, such as the common cold and flu viruses.  Take 300mg/day, 3x a day when you feel a cold coming on or have been exposed to a contagious virus or when your body is undergoing stress or change (example: new school season).  Take for two weeks, then stop.
• Multivitamins help to replenish levels of vital vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants improving your immune systems natural defenses against illness.  Just remember that it’s never a substitute for proper nutrition.
• Eliminate foods void of nutrition. While it’s great to ensure you are getting enough of the healthy foods, it is also important to remember that unhealthy foods depress the immune system. Here are some foods to avoid:
• Foods high in sugar such as baked goods, sodas, and juices.
• Highly processed and refined foods (anything in a “crinkly-sounding” package like chips & crackers)
• Foods high in hydrogenated oils
• Fried foods
• Avoid white flour, white rice, white breads, and white pasta.  Opt for the healthier whole-wheat or whole grain alternative.

6. Breathe plenty of fresh air. Open the windows, go for a brisk walk outside, sit in the sunshine and breathe in the fresh air. Outdoor exercise in the sunlight benefits by increasing oxygen uptake by your cells.  It’s also well known that the sun is the best source of vitamin D, but it also aids to create a feeling of well being which in turn contributes to an improved production of the cells, structures, and chemicals that the body uses to build the immune system.

7. Laughter lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones, increases muscle flexion, and boosts immune function by raising levels of infection-fighting T-cells, disease-fighting proteins called Gamma-interferon and B-cells, which produce disease-destroying antibodies. Laughter also triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers, and produces a general sense of well-being.  So throw in a funny movie, read cartoons, or share funny stories with a friend—laughter is the best medicine!

8. Don’t smoke and avoid second-hand smoke. We think of smoking as causing problems long in the future, but smokers have a much higher rate of immediate infection. Using tobacco in any form will decrease the immune function by flooding the body with free radicals. Smoking also affects both your antibodies and your cells that attack foreign substances. Smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to have upper and lower respiratory tract infections due to suppressed immune function and paralyzed cilia, the hair-like projections in the lungs that sweep out microbes and other matter that can cause disease & infection.

9. Get sufficient sleep. Keeping a regular sleep pattern can help boost the level of certain hormones that help immune system functioning. It is common to see that people who suffer from insomnia or other sleep disturbance also tend to get sick more frequently, have more allergies than others, and may even suffer from other immune-related disorders. During sleep our bodies ‘re-charge’ – so it is important to aim at getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

10. Avoid alcohol. While you don’t need to stop drinking completely, it has been shown that people who drink more tend to get sick more often.  If you drink, choose a glass of red wine. In addition to benefitting the heart, a Spanish study, found that those who drank a daily glass of red wine had fewer colds then non-wine drinkers.

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