by Effie Moore Salem

Created on: May 04, 2009   Last Updated: October 01, 2010

Stay away from crowds, eat healthy food, and wash hand properly. Stay home when you are experiencing the first symptoms of the flu, keep your children home from school, and stay away from close contact with other family members. That means maybe wearing a mask if you are a mother caring for a little one especially if you are in close contact. Practice good hygiene and go a little over board: Add a small dab of Clorox to dishwater if you have no dishwasher, wipe down door knobs and areas often touched with hands. Wipe kitchen counter tops and other places where food may come in contact with surfaces after each use.

Toilets should be kept clean and sanitized. Use paper towels for drying hands and insist everyone know the proper way of hand washing. This is use hot water, lots of suds and rub, rub, rub, hands surfaces together and clean under nails and the backs and tips of fingers. Use force and do this to the equivalent amount of time it will take to sing Happy Birthday to you. (Your child may prefer another tune and since its not the music but the time that's important, who really care how little ones manage to wash hands thoroughly, just see that they do it.)

Ordinarily, mothers who have several children may expect clothes to be really dirty before they are washed, however flu alert season is different. When children come home from school or when others come in when they have been in contact with large amounts of people, why not change clothes immediately. This is simply another precaution that you may know whether or not it was helpful but at lease you will know you are in there trying to keep your family healthy. Be generous on the side of cleanliness at least while the flu alert is on.

Food that assists the immune system in canceling flu infections should they even attempt an entry is always a first priority for prevention of diseases. Eat - and serve - lots of vegetables and fruits and antioxidant foods and make sure a well diets is eaten. This is no time to worry over diets and taking in too many calories, simply eat right and get plenty of water. Possibly add vitamins to the diet regimen and allow no child to go to school without breakfast. This, during flu outbreaks is an unwritten invitation for the viruses to come to your house.

Isolate before influenza strikes. That means staying home when the community is already seeing flu cases and you are in imminent danger of coming in close contact with a flu victim. Even the victim themselves may not know

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