Your Flu Season Checklist

Stay healthy, stay proactive and give your immune system the care it deserves this winter.

It's that time of year again - the sniffles, cough, sneezes and throat clearing are everywhere. Here's how you can prepare and protect yourself this flu season:

1. Check your vitamin D levels

   • Most of us are low in vitamin D deficiency, especially as it gets colder and the days get shorter. Testing your levels is the best way to determine how much you need to supplement to keep your immune system in fighting form all Winter long.

2. Start your daily vitamin C

   • While vitamin C may not prevent colds or flus, studies show that taking 1-2g daily can reduce symptom severity and shorten recovery time. It's a simple, and essential way to support immunity, plus it also calms histamine responses if you struggle with seasonal allergies.

3. Boost immunity with a monthly IV

   • Oral supplements can lose potency through poor digestion or liver metabolism, but IV therapy delivers vitamins directly into your bloodstream for maximum benefit. At Silver Spruce, our immunity IV includes a powerful blend of vitamin C, zinc, B vitamins, magnesium and calcium - all key players in immune defense. I recommend this once a month throughout the flu season (October to February) for optimal protection.

4. Support with a comprehensive immune formula

   • A well-rounded immune supplement combines herbs (like withania, astragalus, andrographis), medicinal mushrooms (such as reishi, shitake and cordyceps), and nutrients (vitamin C, D, and zinc) that work on multiple fronts to reduce stress, offer antiviral support and enhance immune function, offering both short-term defense and long-term protection.

5. Prepare your cold/flu kit

   • Even with the best prevention, we can find ourselves fighting that tickle in the throat, or the fuzzy head that signals we've been struck. Be ready with your cold and flu kit.

   • This should include:

     • A good anti-viral herbal formula (with herbs like echinacea, ginseng, lomatium)

     • A quality zinc supplement that offers 25-50mg of zinc.

     • Extra vitamin C

   • And of course, don't forget the basics: rest, hydration and low sugar intake are crucial to optimal immune function while allowing your body to heal efficiently.

For additional support:

• Book an immunity IV to give your body the nutrients it needs to fight infections.

• Schedule a glutathione nebulization to reduce airway inflammation and ease cough, congestion or breathing difficulty.

If you're struggling to recover from a recent cold or flu, or want a personalized immune support plan, book your next naturopathic follow-up and we'll create a strategy to keep you well this flu season.

Stay well!