{"id":181,"date":"2016-08-20T13:22:00","date_gmt":"2008-08-20T13:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/edrugstore.uat.com\/articles\/?p=181"},"modified":"2008-08-20T13:22:00","modified_gmt":"2008-08-20T13:22:00","slug":"flu-prevention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/current-health-news\/flu-prevention\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Ways to Prevent the Flu"},"content":{"rendered":"

And Get Over It Faster Once You’ve Got It<\/span><\/h1>\n

Fever, chills, body aches, headache… we all know what the symptoms mean: one or two weeks of feeling awful. While fending off the flu (especially from October to March) can be difficult, there is plenty you can do to cut down on the odds of catching it, or at least ensure that you don’t suffer long if you do get the flu.<\/p>\n

Getting the flu vaccine, taking some basic precautionary measures and being aware of antiviral flu medications like Tamiflu and Relenza have all been proven effective anti-flu strategies. In fact, each of these can be a sound strategy even when it’s not flu season, since the flu lands more than 200,000 people in US hospitals every year and around 36,000 die from the flu virus or its complications.<\/p>\n

The Flu Vaccine<\/h3>\n

According to many medical professionals, getting the flu vaccine is the best insurance against spending a couple of weeks in bed with the flu. It can be taken as a shot or, if you fear the needle, in some places it’s available as a nasal spray. The flu vaccine contains inactive influenza viruses and works by prompting the immune system to bolster its defenses against the flu viruses in the drug. The flu "bugs" contained in the vaccine are not strong enough to give anyone the flu, but some people who have had the vaccine may catch a mild version.<\/p>\n

In any case, the flu vaccine is only effective in preventing the flu in 70% to 90% of healthy people, because it protects only against the most common strains of the flu virus. There is some chance of contracting a flu virus strain other than those the vaccine protects against. People over 65 who are in poor health may be at greater risk of contracting the flu even if they have received the flu vaccine.<\/p>\n

The very young, the elderly, people with immune system problems or chronic diseases, and pregnant women should talk to their doctor before taking the flu vaccine as a nasal spray. Those who have had an allergic reaction to the flu shot in the past or who are allergic to eggs should do the same. Consult your doctor about the flu vaccine if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.<\/p>\n

Prevent the Flu With Healthy Habits<\/h3>\n

There are a number of things you can do on a day-to-day basis to keep the flu virus at a safe distance:<\/p>\n