It’s that wonderful time of year when you can’t visit a shopping center or public building without encountering some form of propaganda incessantly reminding you that you need to have a flu shot. Yes, the statistics cited are grossly overblown in an effort to motivate you through fear. And no, you’re not going to die from the flu if you’re a healthy individual. But it does suck to get a cold or the flu, and there is an increased risk of infection during certain times of the year.

It goes without saying that eating healthy and getting adequate rest and exercise are essential (so I won’t mention that). The best way to prevent the flu or any type of viral infection is to take 250 mg of beta 1,3/1,6 glucan at least twice a week on an empty stomach, at least one hour before a meal. If symptoms arise, you can increase that dose to 500 mg one time per day. Vitamin D3, which many people already take, in a does of 5,000 to 10,000 IU per day can also protect significantly against viral infection. Additionally, resveratrol, hesperidin, and white tea have be shown to reduce viral infections.