It’s Flu Season. Learn How You Can Be Proactive

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Its Flu Season. Learn How You Can Be Proactive
What is Flu?
The flu is a contagious illness caused by
influenza viruses. These viruses can infect the
nose, throat and sometimes the lungs - the organs
responsible for providing us with oxygen and
removing waste gases, like carbon dioxide. It is
important to understand that respiratory
illnesses, like the flu, affect our ability to
get oxygen into our bodies.
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How Flu Spreads
Most healthcare professionals believe that flu
viruses spread mainly by tiny droplets when
people with the flu cough, sneeze, or talk. You
can catch the flu by touching a surface or
object, like a countertop or doorknob, that has a
flu virus on it and then touching your nose or
mouth. Adults are contagious 1-2 days before
symptoms appear and up to 5-7 days after becoming
sick. Symptoms of the flu include
Muscle or body aches Headaches Fatigue
Vomiting and diarrhea
Fever Cough Sore throat Runny or stuffy
nose
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So what do you do if you think you have the flu?
Don't use antibiotics because it is a viral
infection. It is recommended to stay at home and
avoid contact with other people so that you do
not spread the virus. But if you feel extremely
ill and have a high temperature, seek immediate
medical attention. There are certain groups of
people that fall into the high-risk group of
possibly having serious flu-related
complications. These people include
Young children Adults 65 and older Pregnant
women People with medical conditions, including
asthma, lung disease, kidney and liver disorders,
blood disorders, HIV/AIDS and heart
disease. Smokers Obese People
Some flu-related complications include
Sinus and ear and infections Pneumonia Infla
mmation of the heart (myocarditis) Inflammation
of the brain (encephalitis) Inflammation of
muscle tissues (myositis, rhabdomyolysis) Multi-
organ failure (like respiratory and kidney
failure) An extreme inflammatory response in
the body that can lead to sepsis.
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How can you be proactive about preventing the flu?
An immunity-boosting diet, rich in water and
other essential nutrients, like vitamins and
minerals, is a very effective way to avoid the
flu. Some immune-boosting nutrients include
Vitamin C
Vitamin B6
Vitamin C. Vitamin B6. Dietary
sources of vitamin B6 include chickpeas, chicken
breast, squash, spinach and beef liver and other
organ meats. Zinc. Oysters are the
highest source of zinc. You can also get zinc
from red meat, poultry, crabs, shrimp, lobster,
oatmeal, whole grains, cheeses, yogurt, beans,
and nuts. Copper. Organ meats, shellfish,
nuts, seeds, wheat-bran cereals and whole grain
products are good sources of copper. And
of course, make sure you have a balanced gut by
ensuring you have an optimal amount of probiotics.
Zinc
Copper
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Proactive Health Labs is a national public
non-profit organization focused on raising
awareness of the critical role nutrition plays in
keeping us both physically and mentally healthy.
We accomplish this in two ways. We provide
credible and easy to understand health
information online, so you can become an
empowered consumer of healthcare. We promote
the importance of nutrient screening in the fight
against diseases. For example, we strive to make
nutrition screening more routine and affordable.
And for those who just cannot afford these tests,
we aim to provide free nutrition tests annually.
1-855-745-2271
www.phlabs.com