Seven tips to ward off flu

It may still be warm outside, but fall is around the corner. It’s not too early to start boosting the immune system (as if we weren’t already focused on viruses), starting with a flu shot — available now in local pharmacies and clinics.

No, a flu shot won’t prevent SARS-CoV-2 (a.k.a. COVID-19) or any other virus except the most common strains of influenza. But staying healthy certainly has taken on a new importance. The weaker the individual’s immune system and overall health, the harder it is to fight any other virus it encounters.

Beyond frequent handwashing, social distancing and common-sense cleaning and hygiene habits to minimize unnecessary exposures, advice from Mayo Clinic, the National Institutes of Health, AARP, and physicians includes these tips to help boost the immune system during flu season:

Get a flu shot. Several studies here and abroad indicate a flu shot reduces the likelihood of a hospital admission or severe complications from flu by as much as 82 percent in seniors, nearly 50 percent in other adults, and 36 percent in children.

Sleep more — and screen less. Sleep is crucial to a healthy immune system (and just about everything else). Cooler temperatures can actually stimulate the body’s production of the sleep hormone melatonin, so keeping bedrooms cooler at night — such as 65 degrees — encourages sleep.

And keep that smart phone somewhere else. Watching TV just before bed, reading on the iPad or scanning social media with a phone frustrates the brain’s wind-down pattern. Blue light from such devices actually suppresses melatonin. Staying away from screens three hours before sleep increases the likelihood of falling asleep quickly.

Try a paperback and a warm bath.

Eat bran (without sugar). Beyond its obvious function, a morning dose of fiber feeds the good bacteria in the gut, which in turn helps the immune system. Don’t like the taste? Toss some berries on top to add flavor and immune-boosting antioxidants.

Exercise, or at least power walk. Exercise’s positive effects throughout the body last far longer than the workout itself. And extend life.

Use a humidifier. CDC research suggests humid air can trap airborne viruses and cut the risk of flu infection. Plus, it’s good for the sinuses.

Ask about vitamin D supplements. Ten minutes under direct sunlight is enough for ultraviolet rays to react with the skin’s cholesterol and produce as much 1,000 units of immune-enhancing vitamin D. But when fall and winter make that less likely, getting enough D becomes challenging. A supplement may help, especially in older folks whose bodies make less D.

Ask your doctor before taking a supplement, as individual situations may affect how much is advisable.

For more immune-boosting tips from Harvard Medical School see Bit.ly/2FcJn2X.

Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network. Contact her at Sholeh@cdapress.com.