Flu Season is here! Here are 5 ways to stay healthy thanks to Medical News Today

1. Get a flu shot

Getting a flu shot is the single best thing that you can do each flu season to protect yourself from severe illness. A flu shot offers the best protection from flu viruses. Seasonal flu shots — created to protect against three or four flu viruses that are believed to be the most common during a specific flu season — are vaccines that are usually injected into the arm with a needle. Flu vaccines trigger antibodies to develop in the body, usually within 2 weeks of having the shot. The antibodies provide protection against the strains of flu infection contained in the vaccine. Although the flu shot may have side effects in some people, it cannot cause flu illness. The flu vaccine saved 40,000 lives in the U.S. between 2005 and 2014 and can even decrease the likelihood of complications and death — even when infection fails to be prevented.

2. Practice good health habits

As well as getting vaccinated, good health habits also act as a line of defense against the flu. Practicing good health and hygiene habits can help to prevent the spread of flu. Flu is extremely contagious, able to spread from one person to another standing within 6 feet via droplets produced when coughing, sneezing, or talking or by touching contaminated surfaces. A study that was conducted by the University of Maryland in Baltimore found that those with flu contaminate the air around them simply by breathing. Other research demonstrated that one single doorknob or tabletop could spread a virus to 40–60 percent of workers and visitors within just 2–4 hours of contamination. The findings highlight the importance of good hygiene practices in the workplace and public places plus the need to go home as soon as possible when symptoms of flu begin. Following a few simple steps can minimize the spread of flu viruses: Avoid close contact with those who are sick or other people if you are sick. If you have flu-like symptoms, stay home from school or work for at least 24 hours after your fever has disappeared. Use a tissue to cover your nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing. Dispose of the tissue immediately after use. Regularly wash your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub. Try not to touch your eyes, nose, or mouth without first washing your hands to ensure they are germ-free. Clean and disinfect surfaces that people come into contact with at work, school, or home. Research conducted by the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor indicated that hand hygiene and wearing surgical masks reduced the spread of flu-like symptoms by up to 75 percent in university residence halls.

3. Try flu antiviral drugs

Flu antiviral drugs are prescription medications that reduce flu severity and complications and may prevent you from getting flu when taken before getting sick. Flu antiviral drugs can help to reduce symptoms when taken during the first 2 days of flu. Antiviral drugs work by fighting the flu virus and preventing it from multiplying in your body. Treatment is not required for most people with uncomplicated flu. Symptoms start to improve with plenty of rest, fluids, and use of over-the-counter medicines. Your doctor might prescribe antiviral drugs as a treatment or preventative option if you are at an increased risk of severe flu complications. So far, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have approved three flu antiviral drugs that are recommended by the CDC against the current circulating flu viruses:

oseltamivir (Tamiflu)

zanamivir (Relenza)

peramivir (Rapivab)

When antivirals are used within 2 days of flu symptoms starting, they may reduce symptoms and shorten the time that you are sick. Antivirals may also prevent ear infections in children and hospitalizations and pneumonia in adults. Antivirals can also reduce the risk of death in individuals with flu severe enough to be admitted to the hospital. While antivirals might be a potential treatment option, some doctors approach them with caution in treating the flu. The Cochrane Collaboration and The BMJ conducted research in 2014 that questioned the benefits and explored the harms of Tamiflu and Relenza. Antiviral drugs are not a substitute for the flu vaccine.

4. Maintain your immune system

The immune system protects your body from infection. When it is in tiptop shape and functioning properly, the immune system launches an attack on threats — such as flu viruses. Help to maintain your immune system by eating a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables. For most individuals, the immune system does a good job of regulating itself. But immune system disorders, allergies, asthma, medications, and autoimmune diseases can all impact how well the immune system works. You can benefit your whole body, including your immune system, by implementing healthy living strategies, such as:

consuming a fruit- and vegetable-rich diet

exercising frequently

aiming for a healthy BMI

sleeping for 7–9 hours each night

reducing stress

Studies have produced some interesting findings surrounding the immune system and flu. Vitamin D supplements have been demonstrated to halve the risk of respiratory infections such as flu in people with low baseline vitamin D levels. Vitamin D plays a vital role in the functioning of the immune system. Lactobacillus brevis — a type of lactic acid bacteria — from a pickled turnip that is popular in Japan was found to be protective against flu infection in mice by increasing immune system molecules in the body. Flavonoids, which are found in blueberries, red wine, and black tea, may help to control immune response by working with gut microbes to protect against severe flu infections. Regular moderate exercise could cut respiratory infections by one third, while strenuous exercise may cause a two- to sixfold increase in the risk of infection. These findings show that physical activity can have either a positive or negative effect on the function of the immune system.

5. Quit smoking

Quitting smoking could be a useful preventative measure against flu — not only for you but also for your children, family, or anyone else who lives with you. Smoking may cause an overreaction of the immune system to flu, which has an adverse effect on health. People who smoke have a more exaggerated response to viruses, including the flu. Flu virus symptoms that are often mild in those who do not smoke could have a severe effect on people who do. For example, smokers are more likely to die than non-smokers during flu epidemics. Researchers at the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, CT, conducted an experiment that revealed that exposure to cigarette smoke from two cigarettes per day for 2 weeks triggered an overreaction in the immune system of mice when exposed to the flu virus. Although the mice’s immune systems cleared the flu virus normally, there was inflated inflammation and higher levels of tissue damaged than would be expected. These findings suggest that flu severely affects people who smoke not because they can’t fight it off, but because their immune system overreacts to the virus.