When you get that scratchy throat and your nose is running like a tap, your body aches and you’ve got the chills, what is your body telling you? It’s shouting at you, saying you could be sick and that your immune system is working.

It’s not the bug that’s making you feel awful, but the immune system’s re-sponse to it. Sometimes you’ll get a fever, other times you won’t. Either way, it’s a good sign. Every time we get sick, our immune system is stronger for its last fight.

First, prevention.

The number one way to keep viruses out of your body is to wash your hands. With an average of touching your face 20 times an hour, cut your chances by 50% by just washing your hands.

Those that exercise regularly have less chance of getting sick. Evidence shows that regular sex increases immune proteins that defend against colds and flu too.

High dose vitamin D has become one of the most important vitamins for im-mune boosting of late. Vitamin C can shorten the duration and severity of colds and flus. Herbs like turmeric, garlic, fermented foods and taking pro-biotics all help in the prevention of getting sick, or even whatever you have becoming a secondary infection that could need antibiotics.

Avoiding sugar is also high on my list of recommendations to avoid the flu.

Navigating the sickness

Support your immune system with these:

REST. When your body is hurting, it’s telling you to stop. No one wants you at the office spreading germs, dosed up on Advil to get through the day.

Stop eating all sugar. Sugar suppresses the immune system for hours.

Drink bone broth and chicken noodle soup. Warming, protein-rich and mu-cus-thinning, broth can be sipped on all day long.

Drink ginger tea and add turmeric to everything, as they are both anti-inflammatory, which is why you feel awful.

Taken from CP24 Segment “What to eat during flu season” on Dec. 4th, 2017 with Lianne Phillipson – Registered Nutritionist.