Although Gordon Brown assures us Britain is well prepared to deal with an outbreak of Swine Flu, and the US seems to be not over concerned, I am always happier to take proactive action myself and there are some simple measures we can all take.  They are not guaranteed to prevent you getting it, but they will certainly help. 

    The symptoms are of course very similar to any other flu you might experience: fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills and fatigue so report to your doctor if you have these.  However, what you also need to do is focus on strengthening your own immune response to prevent infection getting a hold and developing.   These steps will help:

 1   This time of year I usually have stopped taking Echinacea, but it is my first port of call to build up my defences and if you can get Echinacea tincture that is the most effective in my opinion. Boots produce their own and there is an excellent one made by Bioforce from helath stores.  Take it daily for three weeks then a week off.

 2   Next increase the amount of vitamin C you are taking, at least 1 gram a day in two 500mg doses is the most effective.  Have as natural and unprocessed diet as you can, and juicing your fruit and vegetables gets you the maximum vitamins from them.   

 3    Your body requires oxygen for every cell to function properly because viruses can neither survive nor thrive in it. Therefore, the best defense against microbes, germs, harmful bacteria and viruses, such as the swine influenza virus, is to keep the body oxygenated and an easy way to do that is to add eggs to your diet. They are little powerhouses of nutrition, containing protein, essential amino acids, vitamins B, D, A, and riboflavin, and minerals, including calcium, potassium, and iron.  Most importantly, they are also one of the few good sources of sulphur, which is essential for oxygen transport in the cells.  A lack of oxygen can encourage viruses, fungus, bacteria and mould in the body as they cannot survive when good supplies of oxygen are present.   

4    Are you breathing deeply enough? Shallow breathing will not bring enough oxygen into so your system, and being out in the fresh air every day is a must.   Walking at a moderate pace while breathing in for a count of six, and out for a count of six, is one of the simplest ways to do this.  If you find a count of six difficult, reduce it to four, or if it becomes easy increase to six or eight.

5   Limit foods and substances that stress the body such as sugar, caffeine, alcohol, smoking, too much red meat and processed foods high in saturated and hydrogenated fats.

6  Finally, go back to basic hygiene and wash your hands in hot soapy water frequently and carry hand gel when you are out and use it after contact with others such as a handshake – and contact in public places with stair rails, lift buttons and so on.

It may all seem like a nonsense, but people have died from not taking this seriously.  The good habits outlined here will help protect you, and if you maintain them you will have a solid barrier to prevent future infection.

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