Doctor Reveals Strategies to Protect Against Swine Flu Without Flu Shot

Sept. 24, 2009 - PRLog -- Bethel Park, PA:    According to the World Health Organization and the CDC, the H1N1 (Swine) Flu is upon us.   Despite flu shot advocacy from health department officials, there are a number of ways to protect oneself from the (H1N1) swine flu virus – without subjecting yourself to the problems associated with the vaccination.  

The best way of protecting yourself from the flu is to take steps to boost your body’s own immune system.   Your immune system is designed to take out invading pathogens (such as virus’ and bacteria).  According to Dr. Kevin Smith of Red Apple Wellness in Bethel Park, PA, there are certain things you can do to optimize immune function.  These include:

Get adequate rest:   You need a minimum of 7 hours of restful, replenishing sleep.   The earlier you go to bed (before midnight) the better the effect on your brain and nervous system.

Eat right:   Good solid nutrition is a cornerstone of health and vitality.  Avoid or eliminate sugar, grains, gluten, dairy, processed foods, fast food, fatty red meat, sodas and alcohol.  Focus on fresh, organically grown fruits and vegetables.  Eat a pound of vegetables per day with 5 colors (for phytonutrients).  Consume plenty of fiber.   The foods you eat should constitute 40% (lean-clean) protein, 30% (high quality) carbohydrates, and 30% (high quality) fats. For protein, try eggs, range free chicken, range free turkey, and fresh fish.   Eat 5-6 small meals every 3 hours throughout the day with portions no bigger than your fist.  

Drink plenty of water:  More than 70% of your body is composed of water.  The solution to pollution is dilution.  Flush your system by drinking plenty of filtered or distilled water.  In order to determine how much water you need, weigh yourself.  Then take the weight in pounds and divide it in half.  That number (in ounces) is how much water you need to drink per day.  For example, if you weighed 200 pounds, you need 100 ounces of water per day to stay properly hydrated.  Add 5 ounces of water per each 15 minutes of exercise you do.

Exercise:   You need a minimum of 30 minutes of vigorous exercise 4-5 times per week.   Exercise improves circulation, oxygenates your body, reduces stress and boosts immune system function.

Supplements:   You need to take nutritional supplements to prevent nutritional deficiencies, reduce inflammation and boost immune system function.   I recommend a multivitamin, omega 3 fatty acids (1-2 grams per day), a probiotic (to colonize the friendly bacteria in your gut), and vitamins C, D and E.

Keeping yourself healthy and doing things to maintain an optimal state of wellness is the best solution to preventing illness.   You need to incorporate these ideas into your daily habits and make it a part of your lifestyle.   By doing this, you will get sick less often and not have to rely on controversial medical procedures such as the flu shot.

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Red Apple Wellness provides all natural solutions to many common health problems including back pain, neck pain, headaches, migraines, and other problems. We use an integrated approach which includes chiropractic, rehab, and functional medicine.