Swine Flu...Prevention Tips

So, we're not going to join the panic. We're going to intend to remain healthy throughout this swine flu scare. So, we need to know, or remind ourselves, of the basic steps we can take to prevent the flu from taking hold in ourselves or in our children.

There are so many common sense precautions we can take (although, as I've told my students many times, common sense seems to be less and less common...); and supplements, herbs, and foods that we can use to enhance our immune response.

I looked through several of my natural remedy sources...from Michael Murray to James Duke and in between...to prepare this list for you.

Common sense:

• wash your hands frequently with soap and hot water (don't forget the nail brush)
• sneeze or cough into your sleeve, not your hands (hands carry germs to every surface they then touch...eyes, phones, doorknobs, etc.)
• stay home when you're sick and keep your sick children home from school or day care (hey, I know that's a tough one; I was a single mom for years, but I was a MOM; I was also a teacher, so I know the other side, and it's scary)
• do your shopping, banking, and other necessary errands at times less likely to have crowds
• use the isopropyl alcohol wipes most grocery stores now provide to wipe the grocery cart anywhere you put your hands, or your small children put theirs
  
• make your own bagged rag saturated with either the isopropyl alcohol or white vinegar to wipe down surfaces when you're out and about

Supplements:

• be sure you're taking Vitamins...A, mixed carotenoids, B, E (the natural form), and extra C
• if you're low in iron, supplement (but be careful with this; if you're not low, extra iron can interfere with healing)
• selenium
• zinc (but avoid zinc lozenges that are mostly sugar which can also interfere with healing)

Herbs:

• echinacea
  
• goldenseal (the two combined offer greater protection)
• astragalus
• ginger
• licorice (not the artificially flavored licorice candy, but the herb)
• lemon balm
• juniper
• eucalyptus
• Thieves (a powerful blend of essential oils in a spray...a boon for teachers)
  

Foods:

• vegetables (raw, lightly steamed, sauteed)
• fresh fruits
• high quality protein (chicken, eggs, beef, beans...)
  
• whole grains
• vegetable soups, broths
• vegetable juices (fruit juices are high in sugar, which, again, decreases the ability of white blood cells to do their healing work)
  
• garlic
• AVOID sugary beverages (see above), white foods (add to the blood sugar problem, see above), dairy (adds to mucus), and processed foods (provide no nutritional value but tend to replace much more nutritious calories we could be eating)

If you have other prevention tips, please leave a comment. We all benefit from the collective wisdom.

Blessings,

Judy