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Natural ways to fight the flu

By LEXIE O'CONNOR

Story Created: Jan 15, 2013 at 7:22 PM EDT

Story Updated: Jan 15, 2013 at 7:22 PM EDT

NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. - Even with the number of flu cases across the nation and New York on the rise, many people are still choosing to forgo the shot and turn to natural remedies instead.

"We think the flu shot is 100 percent, if I get the flu shot I'm not going to get sick and that's not the case," said Nutritionist Kim Thompson of Healthy Transformations in New Hartford.

As a nutritionist Kim Thompson actually recommends people instead work to boost their immune system. She says this can be done by people taking vitamin supplements, adding extra Vitamin C, D, Zinc and even herbs to their diets.

"Because they're more broad based, so they're not targeting one specific virus they're targeting the whole family of bacteria if you will," said Thompson. "So it's really to help fight off many different things outside of just the flu."

Thompson recommends people get between 1- 3 grams of Vitamin C a day, between 15 and 25 milligrams of Zinc per day, and add more Vitamin D to their diets, what many Central New Yorkers are deficient in. She says this can help prevent the flu or help you fight it.

She also recommends honey and salt water rinses as other natural remedies.

"Honey is really good, for just helping to coat the mouth and going down the throat which helps to fight off bacteria and doing simple gargling of water and salt what everybody also has," said Thompson.

Nutritionists say their first choice for long term health is getting people to add more fruits and vegetables to their diet but for immediate effects vitamin supplements are a good option.

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