Ways To Keep Your Immune System Healthy During The Flu And Cold Season

Winter is here, and if you have hadn't gotten sick so far, despite the cooler weather and heavier snowfall, you are one of the lucky few. Depending on where you live, however, there are still a few more months of cold and flu season.

Fortunately, Pop Sugar asked Dave Asprey, the CEO and founder of Bulletproof, which, as described on the website, "is the number one resource for how to supercharge your body, upgrade your brain and be bulletproof," about the new and different ways to thwart the common cold.

1.     Take supplements

During the winter season, try taking 1000 IU of vitamin D3 for every 25 pounds of your weight to increase the body's ability to resist infections. Vitamin C is also an important supplement. Although it won't prevent you from getting sick, it helps get rid of the common cold quicker.

Glutathione, an antioxidant widely known for being able to whiten skin, is a great supplement to help detox the liver and strengthen the immune system. Though the body produces it naturally, taking glutathione in times of illnesses can give the immune system the boost it needs. Another supplement that effectively gets rid of colds faster is zinc. According to the Telegraph, it is extremely effective at preventing colds, however, Asprey reminds people that it only works if taken within 24 hours of the cold's onset.

2.     Add spices

Three spices that everyone would want to have in their cupboards during the winter season are ginger, garlic and turmeric. Ginger, whether eaten raw, drank as a tea, or added to soup, can fight the rhinovirus, the virus responsible for most of the common colds.

Garlic is a spice that can effectively help the boost system as it is antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and even antiparasitic. To bring your immune system back to health, add some garlic to your soup or suck on raw garlic cloves if you can handle it. Another spice that can kick the cold off is turmeric. It contains the antioxidant, curcumin, which helps regulate the immune system.

Aside from spices, Asprey also advises eating some chicken soup. What many might not know is that the old classic has the ability to get rid of pathogens which cause infections of the upper respiratory system.

3.     Use essential oils

Essential oils are not just for getting a massage or for freshening the house. According to the Huffington Post, essential oils help detoxify the body and merely breathing it in can heal the body.

Some of the most beneficial essential oils to have during the flu season are eucalyptus oil, cinnamon oil and tea tree oil. Rubbing a small amount of eucalyptus oil under each nostril can help you breathe easier, kill infectious bacteria, as well as decrease coughing.

Cinnamon oil is a powerful essential oil that can get rid of fungi and bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. It can be taken in pill form, but Asprey advises to not take it for more than a week as it can become toxic in large doses. In addition, he advised testing the oil on the skin before ingesting the pill form, just to make sure that you are not sensitive to it.

Make sure to also have a tea tree oil handy when you get the flu as it can be a great disinfectant to clean the house with. It can also be used as a vapor, as it effectively relieves congestion.