Real Protection Against the Flu
I have recently seen reports on television that state the CDC has now declared that we have a flu epidemic. What I have not seen is any viable information as to how to really protect yourself other than to wash your hands frequently and get a flu shot, even though the CDC has stated that this year's flu shot will be ineffective. To protect yourself from the flu, or any infectious disease, a strong immune system is essential. If your immune system is strong enough, you will not be a susceptible host to virus and bacteria. Those with weak immune systems are susceptible hosts to all germs.
Here is a fact that most people do not realize. You control the strength of your immune system by your lifestyle. There are five lifestyle habits, which individually strengthen our immune systems. Collectively they form a powerful, pro-active strategy to keep your immune system strong and thereby help avoid all disease, including colds and flu. The problem is, they are all so simple that I believe their effectiveness is grossly underestimated.
1) Regular chiropractic care - There is a close relationship between the nervous system and the immune system. There are many studies that document chiropractic care dramatically increases the strength of your immune system. One study by a medical researcher, Dr. Ronald Pero, professor of medicine at NYU and chief of cancer prevention research at New York's Preventative Medicine Institute, determined that long term chiropractic patients, under chiropractic care for five years or more, had immune systems that were over 200% more competent than people who had never received chiropractic care. This increased immune competence of those under chiropractic care did not diminish in the older age groups. Therefore, maintaining an interference free nervous system is extremely important for not only remaining pain free, but also for maintaining good health.
2) Get enough sleep - Sleep deprivation greatly compromises the immune system.
3) Improve your diet - Avoid the whites: white sugar, white flour and dairy products. The ingestion of refined sugar can paralyze the activity of the immune system for up to 5 hours. Include fresh fruit and raw vegetables (salad) everyday. These raw foods contain live enzymes that especially strengthen the immune system.
4) Regular moderate exercise also increases immune competency.
5) A healthy mental attitude - Understanding that all disease-causing germs can take up residence with those of us with compromised immune systems and will avoid those with strong immune systems, is critical to protect yourself from colds and flu. Being a germaphobe makes no sense. Germaphobes mistakenly put their attention in the wrong places. Rather than trying to sterilize everything in their homes and constantly washing their hands, their attention and confidence should be in the five areas listed above. Germs are a normal part of our environment. Spores of all germs are in the air. They are everywhere. Their presence stimulates our immune systems and keeps them strong. There is a law in physiology which states, "You lose what you don't use." For instance if you don't exercise and use your muscles, they get weak and will lose size. Similarly, if it weren't for the normal presence of germs in our environment, your immune system would get weak. I have a study on my desk which concludes that children who live on farms and regularly get dirty, have stronger immune systems than children who live in the city, in a more sterile environment. Your immune system is well equipped to handle all germs, providing you keep it strong!
Dr. Albert Wolyniec - January 2015