If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, or runny eyes, stay home and avoid contact with others as much as possible, as you are contagious and exposing others to the virus.
Maintain a robust innate immune system by prioritizing quality sleep, engaging in appropriate exercise, ensuring adequate nutrition (avoiding chronic caloric deficit), and managing chronic stress.
Engage in regular exercise of moderate to high intensity for 12-60 minutes per session, being careful not to exceed 75 minutes, to bolster your innate immune system by increasing immune cell circulation and activity. If feeling body malaise or sick, prioritize rest and avoid intense exercise to prevent compromising your immune system.
Consciously practice nasal breathing throughout the day and night, except when speaking, eating, or during intense exercise, to maintain a healthy nasal microbiome and regulate air temperature, which is crucial for combating incoming cold and flu viruses.
Be consciously aware and avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with your hands, especially after shaking hands with others or touching public surfaces, as these are primary entry points for cold and flu viruses. Consider using hand sanitizer after contact if you cannot avoid touching your face.
Supplement with 90-100 mg of zinc per day (no more than 120 mg/day), divided into doses and taken with a meal to avoid gastric distress, as it has strong data supporting its ability to combat colds and potentially reduce their duration by up to three times.
Consider supplementing with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) as a mucolytic during a cold (e.g., 600-900 mg three times daily, avoiding close to sleep) or as a preventative (e.g., 600 mg twice daily for six months) to potentially reduce influenza contraction and support glutathione levels.
Incorporate regular deliberate heat exposure, such as sauna sessions (e.g., three 15-minute rounds at 176-210°F with 2-minute cool-offs, or one 20-30 minute session), to increase innate immune system activity and leukocyte levels. Avoid hot saunas if you are already feeling sick.
Support your gut microbiome by consuming two to four servings of low-sugar fermented foods daily, such as refrigerated sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, kombucha, or live-culture yogurt, to promote microbiota diversity and bolster your innate immune system.
Keep a daily record of sleep quality, workouts, travel, and other life events, and review these patterns when you get sick to identify triggers or behaviors that precede illness, helping you learn what best protects your immune system.
Ensure proper hydration and adequate electrolytes (sodium, magnesium, potassium) by dissolving one packet of Element in 16-32 ounces of water first thing in the morning and during physical exercise, as these are vital for optimal brain and body function and cell functioning.
Practice Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) or yoga nidra sessions, even for just 10 minutes, to greatly restore levels of cognitive and physical energy, as supported by scientific data.
Upon waking, before brushing your teeth, take a sip of water, swish it around your mouth, and then swallow it to introduce beneficial oral bacteria into your digestive tract, supporting the gut microbiome.
If training fasted or for longer durations (over 60-75 minutes), ingest complex carbohydrates and fruit within 45-60 minutes post-exercise to attenuate inflammation and prevent prolonged elevation of inflammatory molecules.
If you experience one night of poor sleep but are not feeling sick, prioritize more sleep if possible; otherwise, engage in a reduced intensity and duration (25-50%) workout to offset negative effects, but remember exercise is not a substitute for sleep.
Supplement with 1,000-2,000 IU of Vitamin D daily to prevent deficiency and support immune function, especially if prone to respiratory infections, but consider getting your Vitamin D levels measured to determine if higher doses are needed.
High doses of vitamin C (6-8 grams/day) are unlikely to be effective for treating or preventing colds and flus, as a meta-analysis supporting its benefits was retracted due to data analysis flaws. Ensure sufficient intake from food or foundational supplements instead.
Echinacea has little scientific support for preventing or treating colds and flus, and high-dose, regular use may impede innate immune function; if used, reserve it for when feeling run down or during peak winter, and do not take it continuously for more than four weeks.