Fight the flu: 8 tips for beating bugs this season

With widespread outbreaks and no cure in sight, theres no denying its going to be a particularly nasty cold and flu season.

While over-the-counter treatments can bring some relief or help shorten the duration of symptoms, your best bet is to take a preventative approach to try to ward off bugs before they take hold.

Below are a few immunity-boosting tips to help stave off sickness this season:

1. Get a flu shot. The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in defending your body from flu viruses. Although there are many different flu viruses circulating, the vaccine is designed to protect against the three that research suggests will be most common.

2. Wash your hands. One of the simplest yet most effective ways in which you can stop bugs from entering your body is by practicing the correct hand washing technique. Use warm water, plenty of soap and do it for about 20 seconds (Need a timer? Hum the "Happy Birthday" song from beginning to end twice).

3. A fat reducing review can help you establish a clear outline of what you demand to focus on to achieve your fat reduction purpose if you're a rookie; or serve as a reminder for the ones who are at an intermediate or more improve step of their weight-loss plan. Promptly after are seven steps that can serve as guidelines for your personal weight loss program. The first thing that one must understand is that losing weight and losing fat is not exactly the same thing. Many weight loss plans have fooled people into thinking that it is the same, but most diets and weight loss applications only work by leading to a person's body to burn more muscle tissue and water than actual body fat, more help please visit The Fat Loss Factor. Mind your diet. Sugar can suppress the immune system, so cut back on post-holiday sweets and alcohol. Instead, load up on antioxidant- and vitamin-rich fruits and veggies, which help keep your immune system running strong.

4. Manage stress levels. Another immunity-killer is both chronic and daily stress, which will leave your body ill-equipped to fight infections. Decrease stress by taking time out for yourself, whether thats practicing meditation, getting a massage or simply going for a walk.

5. Get ample rest. A tired body is one thats also more prone to illness. Aim for a good stretch of uninterrupted sleep each night, ranging anywhere from seven to eight hours for most adults.

6. Break a sweat. The health benefits of exercise are endless, including increased circulation and blood flow, which helps keep your immune system oxygenated and strong not to mention, its a terrific way to reduce stress (see above).

7. Keep well hydrated. Most of us need around half an ounce of non-caffeinated fluids for each pound of body weight daily to maintain proper hydration. This helps detox the body, carry nutrients to cell and keep mucous membranes moist, which lessens the likelihood of cold or flu bugs invading your nose or lungs.

8. Look on the bright side. Do yourself a favor, and lighten up. Scientific evidence has shown that laughter not only helps people breathe easier, but it also massages the heart and vital organs and may increase the release of disease-fighting cells of the immune system.

• 
  

  WATCH POKEMON EPISODES: -= POKEMON COMPLETE

  watchthepokemonepisodes.blogspot.com/2009/12/pokemon-complete...

  Pokemon-- click the episode title/number to begin watching!! Season 1 Episode 1 Pokmon I Choose You! Episode 2 Pokmon Emergency!

• Home Flu.gov

  www.flu.gov

  Flu Season Recap. The 2012-2013 flu season peaked earlier than usual and was moderately severe, according to CDC s recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

• 8 Tips to Treat Colds and Flu the 'Natural' Way

  www.webmd.com WebMD Home Cold, Flu, & Cough Health Center

  WebMD shares eight tips for natural home treatment of cold and flu symptoms.

• The Official Website of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)

  www.ufc.comUpcoming Events Schedule Past Events

  Official site for the Ultimate Fighting Championship promotion. Includes schedule, fighters, news, multimedia, forums, tickets, store, and games.

• Health News & Articles Healthy Living - ABC News

  abcnews.go.com/health

  Get the latest health news from Dr. Richard Besser. Here you'll find stories about new medical research, the latest health care trends and health issues that affect ...

• Cold and Flu (Influenza) Center: Symptoms, Treatments, Causes,

  www.webmd.com WebMD Home

  How to recognize the symptoms of cold and flu, which treatments work best, and advice on staying healthy during cold and flu season.

• CDC - Seasonal Influenza (Flu)

  www.cdc.gov/fluFree Flu Materials Health Professionals Flu Activity & Surveillance

  Jul 01, 2013 CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Influenza Flu Homepage - Everything you need to know about the flu illness, including symptoms, treatment ...

• Beating Colds and Flus - Quanta-Gaia

  quanta-gaia.org/health/coldsAndFlu.html

  Beating Colds and Flus. This page discusses how to avoid catching colds and flus, and what to do to speed recovery if you do catch one. Reading this page is ...

• io9 - We come from the future.

  io9.com

  We come from the future. ... While the summer movie blockbuster shuffle may make you think that live-action is the only way to go for a spectacle, we beg to differ.

• Fight Bac

  www.fightbac.org

  fightbac.org, the website of the Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE), features the Fight BAC! food safety initiative educating consumers about safe food ...