How to avoid getting the flu: 7 things that really work

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How to avoid getting the flu 7 things that
really work
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If you want to avoid getting the flu this winter,
follow these 7 proven techniques for boosting
your immune system,fighting off germs, and
keeping your body healthy ...
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• Get enough sleep
• Your immune system functions much better when you
  get enough sleep. Most people really need about
  8 hours per night for optimal health. If you're
  body is fatigued, it simply won't be able to
  fight off the flu virus (or any other infection)
  very well.

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• Exercise regularly
• Exercise helps keep your immune system strong.
  In fact, a recent study showed that mice who
  performed mild exercise as soon as they were
  exposed to the flu virus had much lower death
  rates.

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• Avoid sugar
• Even small amounts of sugar can significantly
  impair your immune function, making you more
  susceptible to a flu infection. A large amount
  of sugar, such as the amount found in a normal
  can of soda, hurts your immune function for hours.

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• Drink lots of pure water
• Keeping your mucous membranes well-hydrated is a
  key to helping them fight off viruses. Shoot for
  about eight 8-ounce glasses per day.

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• Reduce stress
• Too much stress has a highly negative impact on
  your overall health and, over time, it will make
  you much more susceptible to a flu infection.
  Studies show that prolonged stress is at least
  partially responsible for 90 of all illness and
  disease. Regular exercise and sufficient sleep
  both help reduce stress levels. Also, meditation
  is a proven stress-buster that is easy, enjoyable
  and can be used on a daily basis.

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• Wash your hands often
• Also, carry a bottle of alcohol-based hand
  sanitizer with you and use it frequently,
  especially after you touch anything that others
  have touched recently (like doorknobs).

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• Eat immune-boosting foods on a daily basis
• A healthy diet, including a few proven
  immune-boosting foods, is one of the best ways to
  avoid catching the flu. The best flu-fighting
  foods are

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• Fresh, organically grown fruits and vegetables -
  Brightly colored fruits and vegetables are packed
  with healthy phytonutrients that can strengthen
  your immune system, lowering your susceptibility
  to the flu virus.
• Fresh raw or lightly-cooked garlic - Garlic has
  strong natural antiviral properties that can help
  to fight off a flu virus. Also, garlic provides a
  strong boost to your immune system, especially
  when eaten on a regular basis.

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• Green Tea - Like garlic, green tea has shown the
  ability to both kill viruses and to stimulate the
  immune system to fight off flu infections,
  especially when used daily. Try to drink 3-6 cups
  of strong green tea per day during the flu
  season.
• Cayenne Pepper - Cayenne has a long list of
  health benefits and is believed to be a mild
  immune-booster. Also, cayenne contains large
  amounts of natural vitamin A, considered to be an
  important "anti-infection" nutrient. Learn more
  about Flu superfoods...

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• More Tips for Avoiding the Flu
• The following techniques have been shown to help
  minimize your exposure to the flu virus and
  reduce your odds of getting sick.
• Keep your hands away from your face and head. The
  flu virus enters your body through the eyes,
  nose, mouth, and possibly even the ears.
• Get fresh air every day. During the winter the
  dry heat from indoor heating systems dries out
  your mucous membranes and makes you more
  susceptible to viruses. If you can, during the
  day, crack open a window or two to give your body
  some relief.
• Drink little or no alcohol during flu season. Too
  much alcohol impairs liver immune function,
  leaving you open to all kinds of infections.
  Heavy drinkers are especially susceptible to flu
  infections. Also, alcohol dehydrates your body
  which is always bad during flu season.
• Don't smoke... and avoid smoke-filled places.
  First second-hand smoke significantly impairs
  your immune system dries out your nasal
  passages and, paralyzes cilia, the small hairs
  in your nose lungs that help keep out viruses.
• Take regular saunas. Many experts believe taking
  a sauna several times a week can help to keep you
  from getting the flu. Many people, especially in
  Europe, take saunas just for this reason. The air
  you breath in a sauna is too hot for cold flu
  viruses to survive.

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• Natural flu remedies
• Although there are no true "cures" for the flu,
  there are some natural treatments that seem to be
  able to "short circuit" the virus and minimize -
  or even eliminate - flu symptoms. For the most
  part, they all work best if used immediately at
  the outset of the flu. That is, within the first
  few hours after you start feeling like a flu may
  be coming on.

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• Hydrogen Peroxide
• There is evidence that the flu virus actually
  enters the body through the ear canals. Many
  natural health practitioners recommend putting a
  few drops of hydrogen peroxide in each ear every
  few hours as soon as flu symptoms appear. This
  kills the virus cells before they have time to
  multiply and spread. You can read about this very
  interesting and incredibly inexpensive technique
  at the follow sites
• HealingDaily.com Hydrogen peroxide in the ears
  for the flu
• Mercola.com Hydrogen Peroxide for the Cold and
  Flu

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• Colloidal Silver
• Colloidal silver is a strong natural antibiotic
  and antiviral substance. It seems to disable an
  enzyme that harmful bacteria and viruses need in
  order to survive in the human body, killing them
  relatively quickly. Many people swear by
  colloidal silver's ability to 'knock-out' a flu
  infection within hours, especially when used as
  soon as symptoms appear. You can learn more at
  these sites
• All-Natural.com Colloidal Silver
• SilverMedicine.org

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• Elderberry
• Elderberry has very strong antioxidant properties
  and has been used to fight illness for centuries.
  Recent studies show that it may have potent
  antiviral and immune-boosting properties. Some
  people use elderberry extract to significantly
  shorten the duration of flu infections.
• KCWeb.com Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)
  Overview
• Nutraingredients.com Elderberry extract may
  reduce flu symptoms