Healthy lifestyle choices to avoid flu

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Your lifestyle choices can help you become less vulnerable to illnesses like the flu. And there are simple changes you can make to make sure you stay healthy.

Flu symptoms can keep you from your daily routine for at least 7 to 10 days.

Yolie Brun of Boston told 22News she’s had the symptoms for weeks now. She said “I don't know what to do. I can't sleep. I have a headache. My eyes. My ears.”

Now that at least 47 states are reporting widespread flu activity, many people are doing everything they can to avoid the disease... starting with watching what you eat.

Bill Nault of Holyoke told 22News “Eggs or cereal. Noon time I try to have a salad or something like that, and for dinner, the last meal there, I'd like to get meat, potatoes and vegetables, and you just cross your fingers that you don't get the flu!”

A healthy diet alone does not guarantee that you are safe from getting the flu. But it does boost your immune system. So if you do get sick, your symptoms will not be as severe.

Doctors say if you have a picky eater, multi-vitamin supplements can help.

Marie Vitale, Physician at Doctors Express, told 22News “Sometimes children aren't the best eaters. They don't like to eat their fruits and vegetables, so it can sort of round out a poor diet.”

They also recommend getting enough sleep, which means 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night for adults, and for children, 8 to 10 hours.

If you are sick, stay home. Don't try to tough it out.

Doctors say that's one of the reasons why the infection has spread so quickly.