The 2015 Flu Epidemic: Best Bets for Steering Clear of the Flu

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Erin Brockmeyer, GoLocalPDX Natural Health Expert

According to the CDC’s most current numbers, the mortality rate from both influenza and pneumonia this year sit at the epidemic threshold. It is thought that part of the reason the flu is spreading so rapidly this year is because the flu vaccine was not hugely effective, as two of the prevalent strains were not in this year’s vaccine. Since Oregon’s flu rate is still fairly low, now is a good time to go over the things you can do to survive the flu season.

1. Stay Home If You Are Sick

If you work in Portland you now legally get sick days so if you are under the weather, especially with a fever, do everyone around you the kindness of staying home. Continuing to work while sick not only increases the chances that you will be on the receiving end of death stares as you spread your illness to others, but also makes you likely to be sick longer. Day 1 of an illness —you know, the day you wake up with a scratchy throat and by the end of the day you think you’re going to die? That is the single most contagious day (although you can remain contagious on a lesser scale for almost a week). So even if you already made it to work and then quickly go downhill, leave early for the sake of everyone involved. If you are unsure of whether to go in or stay home, here’s an article that lays it out: 5 Signs You’re Too Sick for Work.

2. Wash Your Hands

This should be a no-brainer by now, and anyone old enough to read this article should be well-versed in the benefits of hand washing. Yet there must be a reason that every restaurant is required by law to post a regulation about hand washing. Obsessive hand washing and use of antibacterial soaps/gels/sprays are not needed (and may be harmful over time), but be at least a little more vigilant during the flu season.

3. Clean Up Your Diet

Have you been living on a diet of fast food and simple carbs lately? It is admittedly redundant advice, but if you are reading this you probably need to hear it again. Cook. Bake. Chop. If you stick to foods with few ingredients that are readily identifiable as a color found in nature, you are much more likely to get the right amount of nutrition needed to keep your immune system working optimally. There is an entire population in this country that fits the label “Overfed and Undernourished” as popularized by the movie of the same name. It is an issue no one anticipated with the advent of industrialized and convenience foods, yet here it is. If you fall into this category, your immune system is just one area that is going to take a hit, so you would do well to follow the advice to eat real food.

4. Don’t Smoke

Come on! You aren’t 20 anymore. The high levels of tar and chemicals are very good at suppressing your immune system, which makes you vulnerable to the flu. With all the knowledge there is today about the dangers of smoking, even the coolness factor and the awkwardness that is averted by having something to do with your hands should not be compelling enough to keep you doing it. And don’t think that just because you never buy a pack you aren’t a smoker, either. If you are regularly bumming cigarettes from your friends at the bar or from strangers at the bus stop, you are a smoker. Knock it off.

5. Boost Your Immune System

Stock up now on your favorite natural immune boosters — before you get sick. It should be noted that some healthcare providers think people with autoimmune diseases should avoid immune stimulants, so check with your provider before self-prescribing. Some of the most written about options are:

Black Elderberry Tincture/Syrup: For those of you who follow these articles at GoLocalPDX, this is not the first time you’ve seen Black Elderberry as a suggestion. This little berry has research that backs up its ability to reduce the duration and intensity of the flu when taken at the first signs of illness. There is also a great deal of anecdotal evidence to support its use as a preventative measure, although not much research has been done in this area. This option is also one seen as safer than most other herbs or supplements, showing few negative effects in studies.

Vitamin C: When deficiencies are present, supplementing with Vitamin C has been shown to improve numerous immune system components. Stress and infection (such as the flu) can cause a “rapid decline” in the amount of Vitamin C in your cells, so supplementation may be beneficial. Vitamin C supplements are widely thought of as safe, and overconsumption (above 2 grams in most adults) will result in short-term diarrhea. Not pleasant, but less dangerous than the flu.

Vitamin D: Adequate levels of Vitamin D are necessary for innate immune function and deficiency of this vitamin is a well-documented factor in autoimmune disorders. There is a compelling study that shows that supplementation of Vitamin D given to women in the last trimester of pregnancy and continued in the infants for the first 6 months of life “significantly reduced the number of acute respiratory infections after the intervention period, in children aged 6-18 months.” Larger studies are now in the works. If you are living in the notoriously Vitamin D deficient Pacific Northwest, it is not a bad idea to get your Vitamin D levels tested — it might prove helpful to more than just your immunity.

If you have a particularly compromised immune system or live or work with those who do, including the elderly and young children, you have a responsibility to keep yourself as healthy as is possible. Moderate your bad behaviors during the flu season, and you might escape unscathed.

Erin Brockmeyer, LAc, is owner and acupuncturist at Solstice Natural Health in downtown Portland. She creates custom health plans for patients to help them tackle their most complicated health concerns, including infertility, prenatal care, fibromyalgia, thyroid conditions and chronic and acute pain conditions. Visit her website for more information and to download her free e-book 5 Simple Ways to Improve Your Health Today.