An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. With winter upon us and various bugs flying around, it pays to take preventative action. According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, renowned health expert, the following are some simple things you can do to avoid catching the flu.

Avoid Sugar. Since sugar works by breaking down the functions of the immune system, it is especially important to eliminate it from your diet in order to keep your immune system running strong and capable of fighting viruses such as the flu. It is imperative to avoid sugar if you feel you are coming down with something and remember it is in a lot of processed foods like ketchup and salsa.

Get Enough Rest. Getting the proper amount of sleep will help build up your resistance against potential invaders. When your body becomes over fatigued, it's more difficult to fight the flu.

Have Tools To Address Stress. Everyone deals with some type of stress on a daily basis. Our bodies lose the ability to fight off the flu and other illnesses when we let stress overwhelm us. There are many tools available, find some that work for you and use them.

Exercise. Exercise helps your immune system by improving circulation throughout your body. When the components of your immune system circulate properly, the immune system is better equipped to detect an illness before it gets a chance to spread.

Eat Garlic Regularly. Eating fresh garlic each day will help keep the flu at bay. The antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal components of garlic are destroyed within one hour of smashing the garlic. Therefore it is best to eat fresh garlic rather than garlic pills.

Wash Your Hands. Good hand washing will help decrease the likelihood of spreading viruses to your nose, mouth or other people. If your immune system is strong, it should be able to fight off the virus if it does enter your body, but washing your hands provides that extra barrier of protection. One word of caution is to avoid using antibacterial soaps. These soaps are completely unnecessary and could easily cause more harm than good. [1]

Please remember the ultimate treatment for the flu is proactive prevention. Eat the right foods, avoid the junk, get plenty of rest and stay emotionally balanced. For further information on this and other health-related topics, check out www.mercola.com Enjoy your winter by staying strong and healthy.

Kathryn Kusyszyn, RNCP, is a certified nutritionist and yoga teacher living on Salt Spring Island.

Disclaimer: The above article is intended solely to educate and is not a substitute for medical treatment. The author and publisher accept no liability for misconception or misuse of the information presented.