By Teri Jones
The flu vaccine is just one way to protect yourself from the disease. Since we don’t know how effective the vaccine will be from year to year, your safest course of action is to do all you can to strengthen your immune system. Here are some things for you to do and eat/drink to boost your immune system. 1. Increase your vitamin intake of Vitamins A, C, and E. Vitamin A is found in cod liver oil, eggs, orange and yellow fruits /vegetables, broccoli, spinach, and other dark green leafy vegetables. Vitamin C is a water soluble nutrient. In the body, it acts as an antioxidant helping to protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. It is found in cantaloupe, citrus fruits, kiwi, mangos, papaya, pineapple, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, and watermelon. Vitamin E is a fat soluble nutrient. It acts like an antioxidant like Vitamin C. Vitamin E is found in vegetable oils, wheat germ, almonds, peanuts, green leafy vegetables like spinach and broccoli. 2. Start each morning with a cup of green tea. It’s rich in antioxidants and improves the action of detoxifying enzymes in the liver. All of which boost our body’s defenses against acute contagious ailments, such as the flu. To increase absorption of green tea’s diseasefighting ingredients. Drink it at least 10 minutes before eating or 60 minutes after eating.