10 Effective Ways I Avoid the Flu!

Cold and flu season has finally arrived and is in full force. I don't like to see patients getting sick; I would rather them be healthy. I would also prefer to help patients strengthen their physical resistance to illness and develop an increased capacity to rapidly dismiss sickness when it occurs.

During this time of year, some patients seem to get sick more frequently than others. Many of these patients blame their propensity for illness on bad genes, an inherent immune system deficiency, or just plain bad luck. Unfortunately, it is not usually one of the aforementioned factors that is the root cause of the susceptibility to disease. The truth is that the ability to resist illness and to maintain optimal health is not a given. Optimal health is created, not inherited. Achieving real health necessitates following a daily health routine that is purposeful. The purpose of this routine is to develop strength, increase energy, and enhance resilience. This routine can and should become just as automatic as setting an alarm clock. It should become a habit, or even better, a health reflex.

One of benefits of optimizing your health is an increased capacity to stay healthy. I am often asked by patients why I don't seem to get ill even when I am constantly exposed to sick people. While I do still get sick, I have developed some strategies that seem to have helped me stay healthier. Here are some of my top recommendations for staying free of colds and flu that don't include taking supplements or prescriptions.

1. Don't touch your face: This is my personal favorite way to try to limit infectious respiratory illness, but most people don't think about this obvious strategy. There are very few ports of entry for viruses and bacteria. Your skin is an effective barrier to these organisms. This leaves primarily your mouth, nose, eyes, and respiratory system as avenues of entry. I focus on trying to not touch my face. If I have a significant itch I use my undershirt or a paper towel as a barrier to scratch through. For more information on this technique and other preventative strategies visit the CDC website.   
2. Lower your blood sugar: It is quite clear that diabetes and elevated blood sugar has a dramatic effect on your body. Eating significant amounts of processed foods and carbohydrates suppresses your immune system and can make you more susceptible to infection. In today's landscape we are saturated with these foods. They are very addictive and feed binge eating behaviors. Thus, the most important strategy to lower your blood sugar is to remove processed foods and eat real food including healthy meats, vegetables, and fats.
3. Lower your weight: In addition to having increased problems with blood sugar regulation, people that are overweight have higher levels of inflammation and may have weaker immune systems. If you are above your ideal weight, I would treat that as an emergency and begin to work on it immediately.
4. Wash hands frequently: We all know about this advice. Naturally, washing your hands will lower the number of organisms your are exposed to. The only problem with this approach is that when you touch a dirty surface you are once again contaminated. For example, opening the bathroom door by touching the handle most likely means that you already acquired new organisms on your hands. In addition, using soap and water significant decreases but doesn't entirely eradicate virulent organisms. Therefore, I always assume my hands are dirty.
5. Sleep: Getting fewer than 6-7 hours of sleep is associated with elevated stress hormones such as epinephrine and cortisol which are known to suppress the immune system. There are few things that will be better for your health than getting adequate sleep. You will also be more efficient with your time when you are awake. A trick you can do is to set an alarm to help you prepare to go to bed. Ideally, this preparation time should start an hour before bedtime and should include turning off electronics and using dim lighting, such as lamp lights.
6. Stress: Chronically elevated stress hormone levels suppress the immune system. Stress is a natural part of life and should be expected. However, chronically elevated stress is a poison to every part of the body and should be addressed immediately.
7. Anxiety/Depression: There are few conditions that I have seen have more negative impact on a person than anxiety and depression. They have significant impacts on health in almost every way. If you are struggling with these conditions please find help immediately.
8. Exercise: Getting regular exercise and learning to keep moving is very important for health. In addition, it may help strengthen your immune system. Just start small and get 15 minutes of exercise per day. You will feel much better almost immediately.
9. Social Support: Some research has shown that having strong social support can help people resist disease. Getting involved in something like your local church or some other purpose-driven activity where you are serving others may be helpful for your health. 
10. Don't poison yourself: This seems like an obvious one but there are certain habits like illicit drug use, smoking, and heavy alcohol consumption that increase susceptibility to illness. If you are struggling with one of these poisons please seek help immediately.

I hope you enjoyed some of my top personal tips for staying free of colds and the flu. This list is by no means exhaustive.

My vision for every person is that they avoid useless suffering and have more joy and happiness in their lives. If you find that you are getting ill on a regular basis try some of the steps above and see if they help. If you are following all these steps and are still getting regularly ill then check with your doctor.

Last of all, BE the BEST YOU!