Make Flu Flee!

Doses of this year’s flu vaccine are already being shipped to health care providers across the country, and with sporadic cases of the flu already appearing in some states, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is once again urging all of us to get a flu shot. 

Unfortunately for the needle-phobic among us, the nasal mist form of the vaccine—which was introduced in 2013 and has been shown to offer little protection against getting sick—won’t be available this year. With the needle once again the only option, the CDC speculates that the number of vaccinations will plummet. 

Some of the needle dodgers are afraid that the vaccine may actually give them the flu (it won’t), or they simply can’t face the prospect of getting jabbed. Other folks (procrastinators by nature) simply put it off until it’s too late to bother. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that the vaccine’s protection doesn’t kick in for about two weeks. So being proactive could make a big difference in the state of your health this winter. 

In addition to getting vaccinated annually, conventional wisdom has it that to protect yourself and your family from the flu you need to wage a constant battle against germs that collect on all the frequently touched surfaces in your home. According to the most recent advice from top-tier doctors, that kind of cleaning frenzy isn’t necessary. Although inanimate objects may sometimes transmit flu viruses, their sharing power can’t hold a candle to human hands and breath. Still, if you want to disinfect some of the most likely germ catchers, here’s where to focus your attack:

• Computer keyboards and mouses 
• Desks and tables 
• Doorknobs and light switches 
• Faucets 
• Handrails 
• TV and video-game remote control

3 Freaky Old-Time Flu Fighters

Even if you haven’t battled the flu yet this season, I’m sure you know someone who has. So arm yourself with one of these solutions from way back. They sound wacky, but they just may do the trick!

Freaky Flu Fighter #1: Old-timers knew that your body is best able to fend off infectious diseases when your system is highly alkaline. Back in the 1920s, doctors routinely prescribed a solution of ½ teaspoon of baking soda mixed in a glass of cool water for patients who had the flu. It works every bit as well today if you follow this schedule:

Day 1. Take six doses of the drink at roughly two-hour intervals.

Day 2. Take four doses at roughly two-hour intervals.

Day 3. Take one dose each morning and evening.

Thereafter, drink a glass of the solution each morning until your symptoms are gone. Caution: Baking soda has a very high sodium content. So if you’re on a low-sodium diet, or you’re over age 60, consult your doctor before using this or any other oral remedy that contains baking soda.

Freaky Flu Fighter #2: Soaking in a hot baking soda bath can also help make your viral vexations vamoose! Plus, it’s perfectly safe even if you’re on a low-sodium diet. Here’s the routine: Just before bedtime, fill your bath tub with water that’s as hot as you can stand (but not so hot that it burns you!), and mix in ½ to 1 pound of baking soda. Ease your achin’ body into the tub, stay there for about 15 minutes, then immediately dry off and hit the sack. The next morning you should feel a whole lot more chipper than you did when you went to bed!

Freaky Flu Fighter #3: The minute you feel the first sign of symptoms, use a small eyedropper to insert four or five drops of 3% hydrogen peroxide into one ear. (It may sting a little, but don’t worry — that’s normal.) Wait until the bubbling and stinging subside, which may be anywhere from 3 to 10 minutes. Then drain the solution onto a tissue, and repeat the procedure with the other ear. It works because the airborne viruses that cause colds and flu frequently enter your body through your ear canal. As long as you’ve acted quickly enough, you should be able to kill the germs before they get a toe-, er, ear-hold.