Health Tips

While no foods are proven to cure or shorten the lifespan of the cold or flu,they can help lessen the dreaded symptoms that make the cold seem so miserable.

The following foods are the 10 most powerful immune-boosting foods and are proven to help shorten the lifespan of a cold or flu.

Orange Juice : Think of Vitamin C as one of the best pre-cold and flu friend.

Garlic : Its real strength comes in its pungent flavor, key to clearing up congestion.

Green tea : green tea is said to have disease-fighting powers to prevent cavities and protect your gums.

Almonds : Hailed as a  nutritional powerhouse,  almonds are packed with fiber, folic acid, magnesium, calcium, potassium, riboflavin, and vitamin E.

Ginger : Packed with virus-fighting agents, such as gingerol, which has been studied as a cough suppressant; ginger is a prize-fighter in the battle against colds and flu viruses.

Chicken Soup : This magical concoction has long held the throne for cold and flu fighting foods.

Now that America has declared a state of swine flu public health emergency you may be asking yourself – what am I supposed to do?

Here is a list of seven practical steps you can take to prepare and protect yourself and your family.

1) Know the symptoms – Here are some of the symptoms that sound like swine flu  – fevers over 100 degrees, body aches, cough, runny nose, and sometimes, nausea and diarrhea.

2) Don’t panic – If you have a cold or flu, and the media is full of details about a potentially lethal pandemic, it’s hard to not imagine the worst.

3) Call or go? – If you have symptoms and possible risks that sound like swine flu, call your doctor or local public health clinic before going in.

4) Contain the illness – First, take care of yourself – rest, drink plenty of fluids, and take over-the-counter medications to help with fevers, aches .

5) Protection works – if you feel fine, is there anything you can do to protect yourself and limit the potential spread of the virus?Influenza is spread by coughing and sneezing.

6) What about a mask? – The data shows that masks do work – as long as there is a tight seal about the mouth and nose.

7 ) Getting sick -  stay home! – In our go-go-go culture and these severe economic times, it can be very hard to call a boss and cancel a day’s work.

Right now, it’s too early for any of us to be a Swine Flu Shut-In, but you may want to have your hand sanitizer constantly with you for the next few weeks.