Avoiding the Flu

Why is it that some people succeed in avoiding getting the flu and others seem to get it every year? It may have more to do with your personal hygiene then getting the flu shot.

If you want to avoid contracting the bug during the flu season then the key is to continually wash your hands, especially if you have just visited a public place or shared any type of implement or tool with other people. The flu virus can live on places such as doorknobs, computer keyboards, coffee mugs and phone headsets so be sure to wash your hands after using any of these things with soap and water. You can also keep an antibacterial gel on hand to keep your hands clean while traveling.

Yet another way to keep yourself from contracting the flu bug is to keep your hands away from your eyes, ears, mouth and nose. If you encounter someone who has the flu or who has recently had it then be sure to avert your face if they sneeze or cough in your direction.

There are also some preventative supplements and vitamins you can take that can help fend off the flu. Ginseng is an herb that has been used for centuries in Asia to ward off the flu as well as shorten the duration of the illness once it has begun. Echinacea and Oil of Oregano can also be taken to help boost the immune system and fight off viruses.

It is also a good idea to take plenty of Vitamin C during the flu season. Taking 500 to 1000 mg has been shown to help the body fend off infection.

It is essential that you don't smoke or drink alcohol while ill with the flu as these substances weaken your immune system and also dehydrate you.

Don't take antibiotics unless they are absolutely necessary to treat another infection in your body. Antibiotics, which treat bacterial infections, can weaken your body's defenses when it comes to trying to fight a viral infection like the flu.

If the flu is diagnosed within 48 hours of when symptoms begin, especially if you are high risk for complications, taking antiviral medications may help shorten the length of symptoms by approximately a day.

In the past, doctors commonly prescribed the antiviral medication amantadine to treat this type of influenza. But in January 2006, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that neither drug should be used for such treatment as it was aiding the virus in mutating. Instead drugs such as Tamiflu and Rlenza may be used to treat the flu.

In most individuals who are otherwise healthy, the flu goes away within 7 to 10 days but it can be hard for a young kid to handle especially if they have asthma or another complicating problem.

Possible complications of the flu include pneumonia, encephalitis (which is an infection of the brain), bronchitis, sinus infections and ear infection, which is why it is important for you to keep your eye on your kids.

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How To Deal With a Picky Eater

If you have a picky eater on your hands and I know I do here are some tips for trying to get the little fussy one to eat.

First of all don't serve them snacks too close to dinner or lunchtime. Your mother probably practiced this rule with you too and for a good reason. A kid with a full stomach is not going to feel like eating. A picky eater will have even less motivation to eat if his or her tummy is full. Do not overfeed your child and he or she will want to gobble up everything on his or her plate. This does not mean starving the kid. However creating a slight sense of appetite is not going to hurt things.

You should also limit the amount of juice and milk that you give your child during and in between meals. Both juice and milk fills them up so they do not feel hungry. Whatever you do not give this picky eater carbonated or sugary drinks as that can make them act very trance. Coke and Pepsi are extremely bad because they contain caffeine.

If your child is served a different type of food than the rest of the family then the child could be jealous. Serve the child up a bite of what you are eating which is a 'reward' bite if they finish the other stuff on their plate. However do not use sugary foods like dessert as a reward. This can cause the child toga in weight and create an unhealthy expectation for your child each time you all sit down together to eat.

If your child is not cooperative then try to stay calm. If you yell, berate or get upset at your child then both of you will be too stressed to focus on eating. You do not want your child to develop a negative attitude towards food. Kids that are yelled at while eating end up being too skinny or too fat as the result of eating disorders they develop. Many become binge eaters who stuff themselves when others aren't watching so they will not be watched or criticized like they were when they were toddlers at the dinner table.

Another good trick is to play with the shape of the food. Get some heart or animal shaped cookie cutters and make them into fun shapes. Another tact is to make up a story using the food. Lots of kids can be encouraged to eat their food if they are allowed to play with it first.

If your kids won't eat what you serve them or will only eat just one type of food then try putting some protein with it. My little boy ate nothing but bananas and tomato soup for years. He was okay but in order to add to his protein uptake I often added peanut butter to the sliced up banana that he would often have for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I simply could not get him to eat anything else.

Yet another neat trick is to let them eat with a stack of measuring spoons. Kids enjoy this for some reason.

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