How to prevent flu
Jul 17, 2007
The following are useful tips on how to prevent flu: <br><br>- Wash your hands: Most cold and flu viruses are spread by direct contact. Someone who has flu may sneeze onto their hand, and then touch anything and anyone can come in contact with them.
The following are useful tips on how to prevent flu:
- Wash your hands: Most cold and flu viruses are spread by direct contact. Someone who has flu may sneeze onto their hand, and then touch anything and anyone can come in contact with them.
- Do not cover your sneezes and coughs with your hands: Since germs and viruses cling to your bare hands, muffling coughs and sneezes with your hands results in passing the germs to others. Use a tissue, then throw it away immediately. If you do not have a tissue, turn your head away from people near you and cough into the air.
- Drink plenty of water: Water washes out the poisons from the body system and re-hydrates you. A typical, healthy adult needs eight glasses of fluids each day.
- Drink yogurt. Studies have shown that a daily cup of low-fat yogurt can reduce your susceptibility to colds by 25%. Researchers say the beneficial bacteria in yogurt may stimulate production of immune system substances that fight disease.
- Eat foods containing phytochemicals. “Phyto†means plants. The natural chemicals in plants boost the immune system. Get Vitamin C from oranges, lemon, water melon and tomatoes. Vitamin C is an antioxidant which boosts your immune system to overcome the virus. Eat dark green, red and yellow vegetables. Garlic, pepper, curry and onions also have anti-viral properties that help fight the virus. Research says any hot and tasty food or drink that promotes mucus is a good idea because mucus secretion in the airways washes out the virus. Taking hot honey and lemon are good too.
- Go to a sauna. The air you inhale in a sauna is too hot for cold and flu viruses to survive.
- Getting fresh air regularly is important, especially when the building uses AC (air conditioning). Being closed indoors keeps more germs circulating within.
- Do aerobic exercise regularly. They speed up the heart to pump larger quantities of blood; makes you breathe faster to help transfer oxygen from your lungs to your blood; and makes you sweat once your body heats up. Exercises increase the body’s natural virus-killing cells.
- Do not smoke. Statistics show that heavy smokers get more severe colds and more frequently. Even being around smoke zaps the immune system. Smoke dries up the nasal passages and paralyses cilia (the delicate hairs that line the mucous membranes in your nose and lungs). Cilia’s wavy movements, sweep cold and flu viruses out of the nasal passages. Experts say one cigarette can paralyse cilia for as long as 30 to 40 minutes.
Compiled by Jackie Nake
- Wash your hands: Most cold and flu viruses are spread by direct contact. Someone who has flu may sneeze onto their hand, and then touch anything and anyone can come in contact with them.
- Do not cover your sneezes and coughs with your hands: Since germs and viruses cling to your bare hands, muffling coughs and sneezes with your hands results in passing the germs to others. Use a tissue, then throw it away immediately. If you do not have a tissue, turn your head away from people near you and cough into the air.
- Drink plenty of water: Water washes out the poisons from the body system and re-hydrates you. A typical, healthy adult needs eight glasses of fluids each day.
- Drink yogurt. Studies have shown that a daily cup of low-fat yogurt can reduce your susceptibility to colds by 25%. Researchers say the beneficial bacteria in yogurt may stimulate production of immune system substances that fight disease.
- Eat foods containing phytochemicals. “Phyto†means plants. The natural chemicals in plants boost the immune system. Get Vitamin C from oranges, lemon, water melon and tomatoes. Vitamin C is an antioxidant which boosts your immune system to overcome the virus. Eat dark green, red and yellow vegetables. Garlic, pepper, curry and onions also have anti-viral properties that help fight the virus. Research says any hot and tasty food or drink that promotes mucus is a good idea because mucus secretion in the airways washes out the virus. Taking hot honey and lemon are good too.
- Go to a sauna. The air you inhale in a sauna is too hot for cold and flu viruses to survive.
- Getting fresh air regularly is important, especially when the building uses AC (air conditioning). Being closed indoors keeps more germs circulating within.
- Do aerobic exercise regularly. They speed up the heart to pump larger quantities of blood; makes you breathe faster to help transfer oxygen from your lungs to your blood; and makes you sweat once your body heats up. Exercises increase the body’s natural virus-killing cells.
- Do not smoke. Statistics show that heavy smokers get more severe colds and more frequently. Even being around smoke zaps the immune system. Smoke dries up the nasal passages and paralyses cilia (the delicate hairs that line the mucous membranes in your nose and lungs). Cilia’s wavy movements, sweep cold and flu viruses out of the nasal passages. Experts say one cigarette can paralyse cilia for as long as 30 to 40 minutes.
Compiled by Jackie Nake