Flu Season: How to Boost Your Immune System

There are many ways to boost your immune system and protect yourself and your family from getting the flu, or minimize the severity of flu symptoms, should you become ill.

Boosting your immune system

By taking care of your health, you can ensure that your immune system will react quickly and effectively to fight any flu virus or other bacteria entering the body. A strong immune system reacts in different ways to destroy the invading organisms and prevents the viruses and bacteria from multiplying and causing diseases. In order to ensure that your immune system functions optimally, it is important to eat a healthy balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Nowadays, the food you eat, may not contain all the important vitamins and minerals that you need. It is advisable to take a good multivitamin, containing vitamins and minerals every day, ensuring that your body receives the important nutrients it needs. If you are pregnant, and taking a daily pregnancy vitamin supplement, it is advisable to continue taking this multivitamin for a few months after the birth, especially if you are breastfeeding. The colostrum found in breastmilk, contain antibodies from the mother’s immune system, and this contributes enormously to the health and the well-being of your baby. Research has shown that health supplements containing Vitamin C, Zinc, Selenium, Vitamin D3, Echinacea, Probiotics, Elderberry and Pelargonium can play an important role to boost the optimal functioning of the immune system. Additional doses of these supplements can be taken in conjunction with a daily multivitamin during the flu season. If you do get sick, these supplements will also help to ensure a fast recovery. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, choose immune boosters carefully (if at all) and avoid supplements containing excess levels of Vitamin A and E. Vitamins are safe to take daily, provided you do not exceed the daily recommended dosage for the appropriate age as indicated on the product packaging. Certain natural food sources are also known to boost the immune system. Garlic, Ginger, Honey, and Lemon juice can be added to hot drinks and food to improve your natural immunity. These ingredients are also helpful to relieve a sore throat and cough. These items can be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding if necessary. The immune system can also be strengthened by:

Reducing stress levels as much as possible, as continual stress can weaken your immune system.
Getting enough sleep every night
Exercising regularly
Reducing smoking and drinking alcohol

Flu is an airborne viral infection, as it spreads through the air in small droplets from one person to another. This happens when someone coughs or sneezes. These tiny droplets are sprayed into the air and are breathed in by anyone who is close by. It can also be spread by sharing or touching the same objects that an infected person has touched. The virus gets onto your hands and if you then touch your face, the virus can enter your body through the mucus membranes in your mouth, nose or eyes. Covid-19 is more contagious than general flu because it is also airborne but can be spread via the breath of an infected person without them coughing or sneezing. It can be contracted, just by being in close contact with an infected person while talking or laughing, without wearing masks, in a confined space for as little as 15 minutes.

To protect your family against the flu it is important to continue with all the same precautions advised during the Covid 19 pandemic:

Avoid large crowds of people and keep a safe social distance from others
Wear a mask when in close contact with people and in all public places
Avoid close contact such as hugging and kissing people
Keep windows and doors open as much as possible at work and home, to ensure that fresh air flows through the room reducing the viral load in the air
Consider having the annual flu vaccine administered

The Flu vaccine

This vaccine is available to the public every year from March onwards. It is formulated specifically to protect you against four strains of common types of flu predicted to cause infection in that year. (Currently the flu vaccine does not offer protection against Covid-19)

It is important for anyone with the following conditions to have their annual flu vaccine:

Recurrent upper respiratory infections, bronchitis and pneumonia.
Asthma, TB or chronic obstructive airways disease.
Cancer and receiving chemotherapy.
HIV
Diabetes
Hypertension
Heart problems
Any other chronic or auto immune conditions.

Important information regarding the flu vaccine:

Gynaecologists frequently recommend that their pregnant patients should receive the flu vaccine. If you are pregnant consult your Health Care Provider for advice.
It is highly recommended that all adults over 60 years of age receive the flu vaccine to prevent complications like pneumonia.
The flu vaccine is safe to take and can be given from 6 months of age.
The vaccine cannot cause flu as it is not a live vaccine. It is an “inactivated” vaccine which means that there is only a very small amount of the virus protein in the vaccine.
The vaccine causes an immune response in the body. This means that the immune system forms antibodies against the protein.
When the real live virus enters the body, the antibodies destroy the virus preventing it from replicating and it is less likely to cause disease.
You may develop a slight swelling on the injection site which feels tender for a short while. Applying a topical ointment containing Arnica should offer some relief.

If you or your family experience any flu symptoms:

Consult your Health Care Provider regarding your symptoms, to determine if a Covid 19 test is recommended.
Control pain and fever with recommended, suitable over the counter medicication. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, Paracetamol, would be the safest choice, but always confirm with your Health Care Provider before taking any medication.
Cold and Flu remedies can be used to ease the symptoms. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, please consult with your Health Care Provider before taking any medication.
Continue to take daily vitamins and immune boosting supplements.
Steam inhalations with a few drops of Eucalyptus oil, which can ease sinusitis and coughing.
Stay well hydrated and drink a lot of warm drinks and rehydration fluid.
Keep warm and comfortable.
Rest as much as possible.
Cover your mouth with a tissue when coughing.
Discard all used tissues safely in a closed bin to minimize spread of the virus to other members of the family.
Wash or disinfect hands regularly.
Eat frequently choosing small nourishing meals
Ensure there is enough ventilation and fresh air in the room.
Clean the room regularly with disinfectant and use a recommended toy disinfectant solution to sterilize toys and toyboxes to offer protection to your little ones or a nursery sterilizing spray for your baby’s nursery.
Contact your Health Care Practitioner if the symptoms worsen or if you experience any breathing problems.

Claire de Villiers is a registered nurse, who manages the Babies R Us Gateway Wellness Clinic.

Babies R Us promotes happy and healthy living with the launch of our family-oriented Wellness department. We’ve curated the best natural supplements & traditional treatments for the whole family to give you a one-stop shopping solution with everything you need to keep you and your baby healthy.