How To Stay Healthy This Flu Season

Cold and flu season is upon us, and I am always asked my opinion on the best way to keep from getting sick. Here are a few simple ways to help your body help YOU stay healthy.

1. 1. Straighten Up!
      When your spine is aligned, your body is able to carry out all of it’s natural functions properly and keep you HEALTHY. If something is “out of whack”, the body is not able to perform at 100%, opening the door to other problems, such as that nasty, annual cold and flu.
   2. Take Your Vitamins
      Your mom wasn’t just nagging you all of those years for no reason! Your body needs good-quality vitamins and minerals in order to build strong cells that are capable of fighting off infection and keeping your body healthy and strong.
      Vitamins = ammo against the flu.
   3. Eat Like A King
      No, I don’t mean gorge yourself on greasy meats, cheese and wine at every meal. When you think of a king eating his feast, it tends to conjure up an image of a full table with all of the delicious, freshly prepared food you can imagine, from pretty much every food group. This is what I’m hinting at. I know in this day and age it’s nearly impossible to completely avoid processed foods – but, with a little planning, it is possible to add more fresh fruits and vegetables to your daily menu. Try to add lots of herbs and spices such as garlic, cayenne pepper, parsley, cinnamon, etc – your body loves the vitamins in them, and it will make your food taste great! Another hint – make your own bone broth for chicken noodle soup. Bone broth is excellent at helping your body fend off the flu.
   4. Stay Hydrated
      The more fluids the better! (No, beer/alcohol and coffee don’t count.) Your body is made up mostly of water and it takes a lot of it to keep it running smoothly and functioning optimally. If you don’t particularly like the taste of water, or aren’t used to drinking it plain, start by adding some chopped fruit and Stevia for sweetener. Soon, you’ll start to crave more of it and will always want a bottle of it nearby!
   5. RELAX
      Chronic stress is one of the fastest ways to beat down your immune system. Did you know that your body actually secretes a hormone that helps allow disease to sneak in when you are stressed out? The best ways to keep stress at bay are to get a full eight hours of sleep every night, get at least 30 minutes or more of any kind of exercising (cleaning house counts!) and remembering to BREATHE. When you feel stress and worry creeping in, close your eyes for a moment and just concentrate on breathing in and breathing out. The best stress-buster? Do something you like doing! Life is too short to be stressed out all of the time, so knock it off already! 😉

      In summary, the best way to beat the flu is to not get sick in the first place. And, the best way to do that is to arm your body with all of the defensive power you can, so that your immune system has a fighting chance.Take care of your body and it will take care of you!

      Yours in health,

      ~ Dr. Bjork