Natural Colds & Flu Prevention In 3 Easy Steps!

Are you concerned and confused about the doom and gloom in the news relating to colds and flu, and in particular the potential killer bird flu (avian influenza)?

We obviously want to protect our loved ones, so in this article I would like to suggest 3 quick and easy steps that we can all take to hopefully prevent these illnesses:

1) Hygiene: Do you know doctors and most health professionals wash and disinfect their hands between 40 to 100 times per day to ward off germs and infections? Have you noticed those posters plastered all over hospitals and doctors surgeries, reminding everyone to clean their hands?

Most cold and flu viruses are spread by direct contact. Someone who has a cold or flu sneezes onto their hand, and then touches the telephone, computer keyboard, a door handle or other everyday object. The germs can live for hours, days or even weeks – only to be picked up by the next person who touches the same object. So wash your hands often. If no tap or sink is available, rub your hands together very hard for a minute or so. This procedure also helps break up most of the cold germs.

Keep all household and work surfaces clean at all times. This may sound basic or simplistic, but it is a proven prevention technique that is so often ignored.

2) Eat Phytochemicals: A phytochemical (fight-o-chemical) is a natural bioactive compound found in fruits and vegetables that works together with vitamins, minerals, and fibre to improve your health in numerous ways. The bioactive functions of phytochemicals, or the way they work in your body, is an ongoing area of research.

Some studies show that phytochemicals can:

• Act as antioxidants; Stimulate detoxification enzymes;
• Stimulate the immune system;
• Positively affect hormones;
• Act as antibacterial or antiviral agents.

This may prove to be a vital key in protecting and preventing cold and flu viruses.

Remember, only fruits and vegetables, not pills or supplements, can give you phytochemicals and nutrients in the healthy combinations nature intended. When you eat fruits and vegetables, nutrients are easily absorbed to provide maximum health benefits. In contrast, supplements or pills contain large doses of only one or a couple of phytochemicals. These isolated supplements have not been proven to be effective or even safe.

Phytochemicals are usually related to the colour of fruits and vegetables — green, yellow-orange, red, blue-purple, and white. Hundreds of phytochemicals have been discovered. You can benefit from all of them by eating 5 to 9 servings of colourful fruits and vegetables everyday.

So there you have it – Natural Colds & Flu Prevention In 3 Easy Steps. Don’t procrastinate – these are actions that everyone worldwide can follow and benefit from right now.

Please remember that this article is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own physician, doctor or any other health care professional. The writer is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based on the content of this article.

Arthur Craig Miller, United Kingdom

Arthur Craig Miller is a medical writer and researcher. He became interested in the common cold and flu cure, after almost losing his child to a near fatal lung disease.