The irony of this post is not lost on me. Initially I wrote this on ways our family prevents the flu, since I can’t remember the last time any of us have been sick. And then I went to the Opryland Hotel for a conference and came home with the worst case of the flu I have ever had. Mommas aren’t allowed to get sick, and yet, it took me down and I am still down (4 days and counting.)

The only benefit that came from this week, was the creation of my “flu basket.” After continually attempting to get my children to bring me certain items, I finally gathered them in one basket so that each item was at my finger tips. My favorite All You magazine, TV remote, phone, water bottle, Kleenex and TP (the tiny tissues just weren’t cutting it, so they just handed me the whole roll ;), hand sanitizer and chap-stick were all necessities.

So what flu prevention did I NOT do which allowed my immune system to be susceptible to such a nasty flu strain?

Here are my top five things to do if you WANT to get the flu.

  1. Don’t get the recommended amount of sleep. When you let your body get worn down, you will be susceptible.
  2. Stop taking your multi vitamins. By forgetting to take your vitamins, it allows the virus more room to roam and infiltrate your whole body.
  3. Eat junk food and avoid fresh produce. By filling your body with junk, it will surely help defeat your immune system.
  4. Stop drinking water. Because we all know when we get dehydrated it does wonders for our digestive system.
  5. Shake hands, cough into your hands, and sample foods without washing them each time.

I exaggerate to make a point, but after the week I have had, I do not wish this on anyone. I know the combination of all the above factors lead to my demise, but being in a conference center with thousands of people surely didn’t help.
Are there specific things you do during this season to avoid the flu?
With cold and flu season in full swing, there’s a way to be aware of outbreaks.

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WheresFlu™ works on iPhone/iPod touch, Android, and BlackBerry and is free.
It tracks weekly sickness incidence levels and tells of the current top 5 affected cities in the nation. The WheresFlu™ app will find your current location and provide you with results for that area. Or you can enter a zip code to get that info.

Wheresflu™ categorizes incidences of illness as follows: Low (0-5% population affected); Moderate (5-10% population affected); High (10-15% population affected); Very High (>15% population affected).

Right now  Fort Smith, AR, Erie, PA, and Fort Wayne, IN  are the top three cities currently affected by the flu, but I am sure if the Opryland was a city, it would be up there as well. When you download the app has a link for a $2.00 coupon good for any Theraflu® product. So go track flu symptoms in your area and take preventative measures to fight this season.

This is a sponsored post by Theraflu to spread the word about beating the flu this season.