Top Three Ways (Plus One) to Prevent the Flu

If you’ve ever suffered from a bout of the flu, you know the symptoms: muscle aches, fever, headache, chill, extreme tiredness, nasal congestion and a dry cough. And if you’ve endured its wrath in recent memory, you’ll probably want to do everything you can to prevent getting it again.

Fortunately, you can do a lot to avoid the flu. “Practice good hygiene, get good rest and eat good foods,” says family medicine physician Brooks Betts, D.O., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network.

• Good hygiene – To kill 90 percent of germs, wash your hands. “Use your own towel and washcloth to avoid spreading any remaining germs,” Betts says.
• Good rest – “When you get tired, your immunity goes down,” he says, so make sure you get enough sleep. And if you get the flu, sleep can help you heal faster.
• Good nutrition – During the flu season, it’s important to eat more vitamin C-rich foods, such as citrus fruits, sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli and asparagus.

Another way to fight back this flu season might be by getting the flu vaccine. “Most children under age 5 and adults over age 65 should be vaccinated,” Betts says. He also recommends flu shots for older children with a history of respiratory infections, asthma or other chronic diseases, and adults with chronic conditions such as pulmonary disease, heart disease, diabetes or kidney problems. “For others, it’s a matter of choice with their comfort level of possibly getting the flu,” he says.

Want to Know More about preventing the flu? For an information sheet from the National Women’s Health Resource Center, call 610-402-CARE.

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