How to Supercharge Your Immunity for Flu Season
Written by Leslie K. Hughes
The temperatures are cooling down and with those degree drops comes the flu.
And this year is expected to be a big one. Between the lift of quarantine mandates and the administering of COVID-19 vaccines, people are out and about more than they were last year, which means the chances of getting infected with the flu are much higher than they were in 2020.
In this post we go into more detail about how this 2021-2022 flu season looks different, and whether you can get both the COVID-19 vaccine and the flu vaccine at the same time to protect yourself.
With higher infection rates this year, it is important to be extra cautious this flu season and do what you can to boost your immunity. The sooner you get started on supercharging your immunity, the better your chances are of staying healthy and making it through this flu season without getting sick.
How to stay healthy this flu season
Here is what you can do to stay healthy during the 2021-2022 flu season.
1. Get the flu vaccine. Getting vaccinated for the flu is the best way to fight this infection. The CDC has updated the composition of flu vaccines this year, and they are all quadrivalent, which means they are made to protect against four different flu viruses. So, getting the vaccine increases your chances of avoiding the virus this season.
2. Wear a mask. We saw the number of flu cases massively drop last year, and one of the reasons for that was because people were wearing masks, which provide better protection against the flu. Continue to wear a mask whenever you’re out in public to avoid picking up or sharing germs.
3. Wash your hands. Another possible reason for the lower flu cases last year was the increase in people’s sanitary practices, primarily hand washing. Keep washing your hands regularly and you will lower your chances of getting the flu.
4. Get enough sleep. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body’s ability to fight potential infection drops. Thus, to help fight off the flu, make sure you get between 7-9 hours of sleep per night. And if you start to feel sick, log some extra sleep. Your body needs it to get well far more than it needs to go out this weekend.
5. Eat well. A healthy diet is one of the best ways to keep your body strong and able to fight off illnesses. So, take the time to get your diet on track this flu season to keep your immune system strong.
Some of the best foods to incorporate into your diet to help your immune system get stronger are ones with these vitamins:
Vitamin A. This helps with your respiratory system and your intestines. You can find vitamin A in foods like sweet potatoes, spinach, broccoli, and carrots.
Vitamin C. This helps your body create antibodies. You can find vitamin C in foods such as citrus, strawberries, and kiwi.
Vitamin E. This works as an antioxidant to get rid of free radicals in your body. You can find vitamin E in nuts, seeds, avocados, and vegetable oils.
Zinc. This helps to strengthen your immune system, especially when viruses are at their height. You can find zinc in foods such as meat, beans, seeds, and seafood.
6. Exercise. Hear us out on this one. Studies show that people who exercise 30-45 minutes a day experience fewer sick days. This is because working out gets your white blood cells moving, which works to fight sickness. On top of that, regular exercise helps you sleep better, which as mentioned above, can help you ward off illness.
Can a person be immune to the flu?
The flu is a virus that mutates every year, hence the need for an annual flu vaccine. The flu vaccine for the 2021-2022 flu season protects against four different strains of the flu.
So, just because you got the flu or were vaccinated against it this year or in previous years does not automatically make you immune to the virus as a whole.
The potential for you to be immune to the flu is nearly impossible. If you have not contracted the flu in some time, then you can chalk that up to luck.
Even after you contract the virus, you are not given a free pass to the flu for the rest of the year. Though flu antibodies can last 90 years or more, unfortunately, those antibodies do not guarantee you won’t get the flu again.
That is because multiple strains of the flu exist, and new ones appear every year. You may be immune to one strain after contracting it, but that won’t stop you from getting another.
The best way to stay safe during the flu season is to get vaccinated and to follow the above steps to supercharge your immunity.
