By The Strong On Health Team, Clinical Advisor: Dustin Strong, CHN, ACN
Flu season brings with it a heightened awareness of viral infections, and for good reason—the flu can be severe, especially for those with compromised immune systems. While it's easy to confuse the flu with other respiratory illnesses, like the common cold or even COVID-19, understanding the flu virus and how it impacts the body can help you make informed choices for protection and recovery.
What Is the Flu? Understanding the Virus Behind the Illness
The flu, or influenza, is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses, primarily types A and B. These viruses infect the nose, throat, and lungs and can spread through respiratory droplets when an infected person sneezes, coughs, or talks. The flu can also be contracted by touching surfaces contaminated with the virus and then touching the face.
Why the Flu Keeps Changing
One challenging aspect of the flu virus is its ability to change rapidly. Influenza viruses undergo frequent mutations, creating new strains that can spread each year. This evolution means that your body’s immune system may not recognize new flu strains as readily, making it easier for the virus to bypass your defenses and cause infection.
Flu vs. Cold vs. COVID-19: Key Differences
Flu symptoms can often overlap with those of the common cold and COVID-19, making it difficult to determine which illness you may have. Here’s a quick comparison:
Flu Symptoms: High fever, body aches, fatigue, headache, sore throat, and cough. The onset of flu symptoms is typically sudden and intense.
Cold Symptoms: Usually milder than the flu, with symptoms like a runny nose, sore throat, and sneezing. Fever and body aches are less common.
COVID-19 Symptoms: Similar to flu but may also include a loss of taste or smell, shortness of breath, and digestive issues. COVID-19 symptoms tend to last longer and may progress to more severe respiratory complications.
Why Symptoms Vary by Person
Flu symptoms can be mild or severe, depending on factors like age, health status, and immune function. For instance, children and older adults are more susceptible to severe flu complications because their immune systems may not respond as vigorously. Those with weakened immune systems or chronic conditions, like diabetes, asthma, or heart disease, are also at greater risk.
How the Body’s Immune System Responds to the Flu
When the flu virus enters the body, the immune system jumps into action. Here’s a simplified breakdown of this complex process:
Recognition: The body’s immune system detects the virus as a foreign invader and begins to mobilize white blood cells to the site of infection.
Inflammation: To contain and eliminate the virus, the immune system triggers an inflammatory response. This process is responsible for many flu symptoms, like fever, body aches, and fatigue, as the body works to clear the virus.
Antibody Production: Specialized white blood cells, called B-cells, produce antibodies specific to the flu virus. These antibodies help neutralize the virus and prevent it from spreading further.
Memory Response: After recovery, the immune system retains a memory of the virus. This means that if you encounter the same strain in the future, your body can respond more effectively. However, because the flu virus mutates frequently, previous immunity may only partially protect against new strains.
Why Immune Support Is Key During Flu Season
Since the flu can place immense stress on your immune system, having a strong baseline immune health is essential. This is why many people focus on “immune-boosting” habits during flu season, from taking supplements to following flu-friendly diets. However, boosting immunity isn’t about a quick fix; it’s about creating sustainable, balanced immune health that can respond effectively when exposed to viruses like the flu.
Strong on Health’s Immune Health Pack: Supporting Your Body’s Natural Defenses
A proactive approach to immune health includes a balanced diet, exercise, adequate sleep, and stress management. Supplements can also be very valuable in ensuring your body has the essential nutrients to maintain a strong immune response:
Vitamin C: Known for its role in supporting immune cells and reducing the duration of colds and flu.
Vitamin D: Plays a critical role in immune response, with studies showing a link between low vitamin D levels and increased susceptibility to infections.
Zinc: Essential for immune cell function and reducing inflammation.
Probiotics: Help maintain gut health, which is integral to overall immunity, as approximately 70% of the immune system is located in the gut.
The Immune Health Pack from Strong on Health combines these essentials in a convenient daily regimen, giving you peace of mind during flu season and beyond.
Symptom Checklist: Is It Flu, Cold, or COVID-19?
Use this quick reference chart to help determine whether your symptoms align with the flu, a cold, or COVID-19:
Symptom | Flu | Cold |
Fever | High, sudden | Rare |
Body Aches | Common and severe | Mild |
Fatigue | Common and intense | Mild |
Sore Throat | Common | Common |
Runny/Stuffy Nose | Sometimes | Common |
Cough | Common | Mild |
Loss of Taste/Smell | Rare | Rare |
Shortness of Breath | Rare | Rare |
If you experience flu-like symptoms, it’s best to rest, hydrate, and support your immune system. While over-the-counter treatments can alleviate some symptoms, the real focus should be on boosting your body’s resilience to viruses.
Final Thoughts
Understanding the flu virus and how your body responds can empower you to take preventive measures and prioritize immune health. By recognizing symptoms early and supporting your immune system with healthy lifestyle choices, you’ll be better equipped to handle flu season.
Ready to boost your body’s natural defenses? To help keep your defenses strong, consider the Immune Health Pack from Strong on Health, which combines essential nutrients like vitamin C, D, and zinc.
Dustin Strong, CHN, ACN is a holistic health clinician, speaker, author, and educator with clients and students located worldwide. He is passionate about helping people who have not had complete success with traditional healthcare methods, believing that being healthy requires a total approach, taking into consideration equally nutrition, physical exercise, spiritual balance, and personal motivation.
As the Chief Clinician and Founder of Strong on Health, a holistic health and wellness center in the Dallas/Fort Worth, TX metro area, Mr. Strong has specialized in holistic and applied clinical nutrition for nearly a decade. In addition to his 1:1 work with private clients, he is an experienced consultant to other healthcare professionals with difficult cases or who wish to incorporate nutrition more fully into their practices.
He is a sought-after speaker and seasoned educator whose clinical seminars are approved for professional continuing education credits in all 50 U.S. states. He is also a faculty member for The Gaeta Institute and Bahan Consulting and is the only United States practitioner on the faculty for YorkTest, approved by the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine.
Comments