Beat the Sneezin' Season Naturally

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Beat the Sneezin' Season Naturally

01-02-2006 NEW YORK, Dec. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Taking a stand against

cold and flu season for you and your family is easier than you

think. Woodson Merrell, MD, explains how to break the sickness cycle

by taking protective measures and boosting immunity.

Here are Dr. Merrell's tips and tricks for staying healthy

through cold and flu season:

1. We all know the importance of hand washing in reducing the

transmission of cold and flu germs. But did you know that most

children do not wash their hands long enough to have a significant

impact? Teach your children to recite a nursery rhyme while

lathering their hands, rinsing at the completion of the poem. This

technique can triple or quadruple the amount of time their hands are

exposed to soap and friction -- the two methods that remove the most

germs from the skin.

2. When serving snacks, beware the communal snack bowl. Children

(who may or may not have washed their hands first) like to touch,

and may pick up three cookies before making a final selection.

Better to use separate bowls, or single serving sizes.

3. Wait wisely. During peak outbreaks of viral illnesses, you might

want to reconsider turning the little one loose in a children's

waiting area. These areas have tempting child-sized tables and

chairs, brightly colored toys and books, which are used by many

children with varying degrees of hygiene in the course of a day.

4. If you or your child is ill, be a hero and stay home. Not only is

this the most effective way to protect others from your illness, you

are more likely to rest and drink fluids in an unstructured home

environment vs. the more rigid schedules of school and workplace.

Consider canceling play dates with children who are coming down with

colds.

5. After recovering from a cold or flu, treat yourself to a new

toothbrush. Your old brush might still be " sick. "

6. Wash children's scarves and mittens frequently and in hot water.

Little hands in mittens wipe noses, play with outdoor toys and

wrestle with playmates while scarves pick up germs from the mouth.

7. Try tea. Tea contains antioxidants and polyphenols that can boost

the immune system. Substituting iced tea (decaffeinated for young

ones) for soft drinks is a healthy choice anytime, but especially

during cold and flu season. Choose unsweetened or lightly sweetened,

which contain far less sugar than soft drinks.

8. Nutritionists tell us, and evidence has proven, the many health

benefits of eating fruits and vegetables, but we know how picky

children can be. Eat six daily servings of vitamin-rich dark leafy

greens, yellow-orange, and red fruits and vegetables (organic is

best). Use vegetables (broccoli) and fruits high in Vitamin C --

experiment with banana, papaya or strawberry smoothies that young

taste buds will love.

9. Some herbals work: Despite a recent report questioning the

effectiveness of echinacea, there is evidence that some echinacea

preparations actually work. Esberitox is a tasty, chewable product

that combines two types of echinacea with the herbs baptisia and

thuja, and has been clinically proven to reduce the duration and

severity of colds by 50 percent. " If I only had one Western remedy

to recommend during cold and flu season, I would choose Esberitox, "

comments Dr. Merrell. " This herbal formula is the only one that my

own children will take without a fuss because it tastes good -- they

even ask for it. "

10. For older kids with sore throats, gargle with disinfectant

solutions, such as Listerine, tea tree oil or diluted hydrogen

peroxide (the latter is not safe for young children who may swallow

it).

11. Touching your eyes when inserting and removing contacts is

another route for viruses to enter the body. During cold and flu

season wear your glasses instead of contact lenses.

12. How sweet it isn't: Avoid excessive amounts of sugar during cold

and flu season as sugar can weaken your immune system.

13. Try some mushrooms: Many species of mushroom naturally contain

substances that boost the immune system -- especially maitake,

reishi, and shitake -- and are easy to add to your menu.

14. Garlic is good: Raw garlic has more potent immune activity than

cooked, but isn't very pleasant to eat on its own. One great trick

is to crush or chop a few cloves of garlic and add them to your

prepared salad dressing. Shake well before pouring so that a little

garlic is contained in every serving.

15. Ease up on coffee, power-up on sleep. A caffeine buzz can rob

you of precious sleep, your body's strongest repair mechanism. Avoid

late nights during flu season and take extra rest if you're in

healing mode. The maxim " early to bed early to rise makes a man

healthy, wealthy and wise " is never more important than during

cold/flu season.

16. Stress and anxiety boost your body's adrenal hormone level of

cortisol, which can depress the immune system. In case of a

stressful event -- new job, relocation, divorce, etc. -- take care.

Get a good night's sleep, eat a healthy diet, allow your friends and

family to pamper you, or at least, pamper yourself, and try to

engage in pleasurable activities. Yoga, music, or petting a dog or

cat can reduce stress in your life. Find what works for you.

17. For cold and flu prevention and treatment, consult integrative

practitioners -- doctors who have additional experience with

mind-body practices, acupuncture, nutrition and dietary supplements,

homeopathy, etc. They may have other options that may be right for

you and your family. You may want to schedule a wellness visit

before cold and flu season hits to develop a strong health plan for

your family.

Even if the headlines predict heavy casualties during cold and flu

season, you don't have to be one of them. If you take proper care,

you can dodge getting sick altogether. But if you do get the

sniffles, you can use these tips to help get better ahead of

schedule.