NATURAL FLU PROTECTION – THESE THREE ARE FREE
Since it is your immune system that will protect you from a cold or the flu, strengthening it is vital for staying healthy. The immune system responds best to all of the natural flu protection modalities for strengthen it. Here are three ways to strengthen the immune system that are free.
EXERCISE
While you are exercising, your body produces antibodies. These antibodies are made by the immune system and they react to antigens such as viruses and bacteria by seeking them out and killing them. Exercise can increase antibody production as much as 200-300% and it increases the number of T-cells, a white blood cell of your immune system, whose job it is to kill infections among other things.
Basically light to moderate exercise a few times a week will rev up your immune system. However excessive exercise is not the type of exercise that produces these results. I used to think that the more exercise the stronger the immune system would be. That’s until my doctor said no. Only light to moderate exercise is beneficial to the immune system.
A 20-30 minute walk daily or aerobic exercise a few times a week is all you need. You can also go cycling or swimming a few days a week as well. There are also ways to make exercise not seem like exercise. For example, when you go to the shopping mall don’t look for a parking space close to the door, find one further away so you will have to walk further. If you go into a building with elevators, take the stairs. Do you like to dance? Well get up and move your body. There are many low to moderate intensity exercises you can do to strengthen your immune system. – And exercise is free!
SLEEP
There is not much to describe about sleep that isn’t already known. You already know that when you are sick you are supposed to get plenty of sleep. This is because when you are sleeping, whether you are sick or not, your entire body recharges itself. Since your immune system is constantly working 24/7, sleeping is the only time the immune system can be the most effective. This is because when you are awake your entire body needs energy to operate and the immune system cannot get as much energy as it needs. But when you are sleeping and energy consumption is low, the immune system can repair and recharge the body more efficiently.
Under normal circumstances the more deep restful sleep you get the stronger your immune system becomes. When your body is at rest the immune system recharges and fixes many of the other bodily functions that can contribute to a weaker defense. – And resting & sleeping are free!
VITAMIN D
Vitamin D is critical to a strong immune system, more importantly, Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). Vitamin D3 is the bio-available form of this fat-soluble hormone-like vitamin that is used throughout the body. When the UVB rays from the sun make contact with your skin, when you are not wearing sunscreen, a cholesterol-like substance in your skin becomes vitamin D. This vitamin then goes to your liver where it is broken down to a form that the kidneys can use. Then the kidneys turn it into Vitamin D3 for the rest of the body to utilize.
Vitamin D3 is not only necessary for the absorption of Calcium but it is also crucial for the strength of the immune system. However almost everyone is vitamin D deficient. Too many people are not getting enough sunlight on their skin and you don’t need to sunbathe to get enough. All you need to do is wear a short sleeve shirt and some shorts and go walking in the park for 15-30 minutes on a warm sunny day.
As more and more scientific studies come out on how effective vitamin D is as a natural influenza protection, the more people are starting to see the benefits. – And vitamin D from the sun is free!
Let me know what is your favorite free way to strengthen your immune system. Leave it in the comments section at the bottom of this page. I will respond back to you within 24 hours.
NATURAL FLU PROTECTION – INEXPENSIVE ALTERNATIVES
Fortunately the non-free natural ways to boost the strength of the immune system are not that expensive at all Check out My Reviews page of the kinds I have tried. The most powerful kind of natural flu protection nutrients are called Antioxidants. Antioxidants hunt down and neutralize cells that are known as “Free Radicals”. These types of cells are damaged by oxidation and can lead to a host of undesirable sickness within the various parts of the body.
Here is a good example of how antioxidants like vitamin C work. If you were to cut an apple in half and leave them exposed, they will eventually turn brown. Why is that? The reason that the apple turned brown was because of oxidation from the air you and I breathe. That is a good visual reference of what oxidized Free Radical cells become inside our bodies when we breathe.
This is only one way that cells become Free Radicals. They can also come from the chemicals and fats in our foods, chemicals in what we drink, chemicals in personal care products that get absorbed by the skin,… There are so many reasons why cells become Free Radicals. This is why it is very important to consume as many antioxidants as possible by way of food and supplements.
THE APPLE & VITAMIN C EXPERIMENT…
How can you tell that antioxidants work? Here is another good example using that same cut apple. After you cut the apple in half evenly spread some vitamin C from a vitamin C capsule on to one of the halves. As time goes by the un-treated half will turn brown from oxidation and the half with the vitamin C will not. Haven’t you ever wondered why when you buy a container of sliced apples in the store that the apple slices haven’t turned brown? This is because before they are packaged they are sprayed with a fine mist of vitamin C or some other type of antioxidant.
The easiest way to take antioxidants is with a Daily Multiple Vitamin & Mineral Supplement because it will have Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Beta-Carotene, Zinc and Selenium (I take a Daily Multiple). Other natural immune boosters are Omega-3 EPA/DHA Fish Oil, Alpha Lipoic Acid, CoQ10 (I take these three in addition to vitamin D3 every day), Echinacea Purpurea, Garlic, AHCC, Colostrum, Elderberry, Green Tea, and so many others.
You don’t have to take all of them, I definitely don’t, but the more you take the better. Just don’t wait until the colder months to arrive to start taking these. As for vitamin D, you can get it for free from the sun during the spring and summer. Also try to eat more fruits (especially any kind of berries) and vegetables. Also drink plenty of filtered or bottled water. Wash your hands often and use hand sanitizers when out. Remember, the flu virus can be on any surface touched or sneezed on by someone who is infected with the flu.
The more you do these natural flu protection modalities the stronger your immune system will become. All of the books written, reports made and stories told online about vitamin D being good for the prevention of the flu must be true. For the past 11 years since I started using vitamin D3 at the recommendation by my doctor, I have yet to get the flu.
If you have any questions or you have a comment, leave them below and I will get right back to you.
I am very much into the natural remedies versus expensive pharmaceuticals. With flu season upon us, this is a well timed post. Well written.
As a matter of fact, I also use Puritan’s Pride products. Love them.
Thank you! Natural remedies are always better than most all pharmaceuticals plus they have been used for centuries. Pharmaceuticals have only been around for like 125 years. Why not save your money and your health by taking the natural approach? I did 26 years ago and after I found a doctor who supported my beliefs the results were even better. Plus there are a ton of natural, alternative, anti-aging, board certified doctors out there. I give two links to a couple of great resource websites on my Find A Doctor page that offer directories of doctors all across the U.S. and the world (I believe) that support such natural care. I would rather take something natural that will heal and cure me than take a pharmaceutical that has side effects that are worse than the problem they are trying to treat.
You’ve wowed me again Robert! This is so relevant to me right now because my mom has been nagging me about going to get my flu shot. Not that I don’t mind shots or anything, but I just don’t understand the hype about flu shots. Just doesn’t resonate with me. I hardly get sick in the first place [knock on wood] but I’m definitely not a fan of shots and pills as means of treatment when God has given us all the natural remedies we need! No reason to fill your body with that junk.
That’s exactly how I feel! What many people don’t realize is that the flu virus is present all year. It doesn’t just come back in the colder months. The reason people do not get the flu during the warmer months is because the sun’s rays are not just warming up the earth they are giving off more UVB radiation and when that happens our bodies produce a lot of vitamin D, which is eventually broken down into vitamin D3. But when the colder months come around and the sun is not giving off much UVB radiation, our bodies stop making vitamin D from the sun. – Sooo logic says to take vitamin D3 supplements to keep your blood levels up to where or near to where they were in the Spring and Summer and you will be just fine. This is what I have done for more than 10 years and I have yet to get the flu. God’s medicine is ALWAYS better than what man can create in a lab with questionable ingredients. – Thanks for your comment Noelle!
You just described my favorite method. The method you describe have kept me fro catching colds for a very long time. On average I only get a really bad cold every 5 to 10 years. And I am only eating paleo diet, and have done so for many years now.
A well written an interesting article.
Good luck to you and keep up the good work.
Anders
Thank you Anders for your comment! Many times the best and most effective treatments and cures are right in front of us. Light to moderate exercise, which can be a 20 minute walk, and plenty of sleep can go a long way it protecting us of the cold and flu. Then you add Vitamin D into the equation and you have the best and most all around protection there is! – Thanks for your comment.
Great Article! Spread the word. I haven’t gotten the flu in forever. I can’t even remember when it was. I really hate “normal medicine” and “normal treatments” here in the U.S. I don’t like the drugs and fake remedies. They just make you feel worse in the end. I make liposomal vitamin C. It’s vitamin C with an oomph. It’s really helped me in a lot of ways. Flu is scared to come near me =D. Great article. Thanks!
Andy E.
I too hate “normal medicine” which I like to call “sick care” because “health care” should promote health and wellness and not disease and sickness. Too many people are not informed of the truth and just follow their doctors advice like sheep following the sheep master. I prefer to think for myself by treating and curing myself through natural means. I have been very successful doing so for about 27 years and I will never go back to the “sick care” way of medicine. The only thing that makes me pissed at being an American is our poor “sick care” system of screwed up medicine and the lack of promoting a more natural way to solving our health problems. BUT because of the freedoms we have here in the U.S. I can choose not to follow the other sheep and stay healthy and informed. – Thanks Andy for your comment.
Wow this is a great article! I need to sleep more often as this is a problem I regularly have. Is there any D3 i can get that is now a tablet i have to swallow? I prefer something chewable or liquid!!!
Yes, there are liquid forms of Vitamin D3 and chewable too. But if I had to choose I would choose the liquid. If you cannot swallow a tiny gelcap then liquid is the only real option for maximum absorption. I do not recommend taking any kind of vitamin in a tablet form, whether you swallow it or chew it. I only take vitamins in either capsule or small gelcap form. Tablets have binding and filler agents mixed in so your body will have a problem digesting all of it and thus it is a waste of money. Plus capsules and gelcaps a so much easier to swallow because the are rounded and smooth and most times smaller than the food you swallow. – Thank you for your comment Brian
I knew exercise was good for the body but I didn’t know about the T-cell factor. Maybe that is why I didn’t catch many colds when I was a health nut. Thank you for this. I learn something new daily! KEEP POSTING! Sincerely, Andrea$
I am sure that is why you didn’t catch many colds. Light to moderate exercise helps to ramp up the immune system. Only extensive exercise will break down the immune system. That’s why just a 20 – 30 minute walk can do wonders for the immune system. The problem nowadays is that people have become lazy and would rather get in their car to drive less than a mile to a store or where ever instead of walking it. – Thank you for your comment Andrea.
Robert, you are amazingly kind with the information you inhabit. This post is totally applicable since my two sons and I are down with the flu. We have lots of sun here in Arizona and I just need to get some sleep. Been working for 20 hours straight…Thanks for the tips well shared
You’re welcome Margaret! Definitely get some sleep. Being up 20 hours straight will definitely not help your defenses. It will actually hurt and weaken your defenses and make the flu stick around longer. Even though you have a lot of sun in AZ you would still benefit greatly by taking 2,000 IU of Vitamin D3 everyday while you are sick and for a few days after you are well before you stop. Also drink lots of water and juice, I normally mix the two together and some hot green tea. – I hope you and your sons feel better.
Hey Robert, I came seeking inspiration and am excited to have found this site. My beliefs exactly and perfectly timed too!! Fabulous site. Thank you 🙂
You are welcome Sibylle. I’m glad you enjoyed my website. Please come back and visit again. All of the information I provide is doctor and patient (me) tested and proved. Many of the same nutrients that will protect you from ever getting the flu are also used to cure cancer and other diseases of immunology. – YES! I said to cure cancer. There are many natural cures for cancer and they have been known for decades.
Hello. I must say wow I am amazed at several things you have listed here. I knew exercising it good for you as far as weight, heart and oxygenation throughout your body but honestly I didn’t realize it also built up your immunity and white blood cells.
I did know that vitamin c was a big factor, but I guess I had no idea how powerful it really was until you explained about cutting an apple in half to test this.
Thank you providing all of this wonderful information.
You are welcome Melissa. The example with cutting an apple in half and coating one half with Vitamin C and the other without, is a good way to show people why taking antioxidants like Vitamin C, D3 and E plus other kinds of antioxidants, protect our cells from being damaged.