How to Win You vs. Flu: Boost Your Body with Alternative Therapies, Herbs and More Sleep

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ON DEFENSE FOR FLU SEASON? Doctors will tell you your best shot is to get a shot. But one measly prick isn't going to cut it for Sue Berman of Silver Spring's Blue Heron Wellness (10723-B Columbia Pike; 301-754-3730). To keep sniffles at bay, she plans to spend a whole lot more time with needles.

Berman, an acupuncturist, vows that targeting spots on the skin can help the body fight off all invaders — even the dreaded H1N1. "It allows the strength of your own system to reach its potential," she says. The same goes for several other alternative treatments from Eastern medicine, which she's encouraging clients to explore. And she's stocked up on the homeopathic remedies Oscillococcinum and Influenzinum, which are marketed as natural alternatives to drugstore cold and flu medications.

Of course, she still advocates for flu shots and hand washing, but "it's important to take the best from both worlds," she adds.

There's plenty to choose from, says Jenne "Maat" Dixon-Cravens, a naturopathic doctor with Shakti MindBody Studio (1015½ 7th St. NW; 202-783-6463), who has a host of health-boosting ideas. She suggests experiencing the energy healing of reiki, smelling calming essential oils and inverting your body for plow, a yoga pose that's supposed to drain your lymph nodes, among other things.

They're different approaches, but what they all deal with on some level is stress. "When you're stressed, immune system functioning drops," she explains. So, anything you can do to reduce your anxious feelings will bolster your battle against the bugs.

Adequate rest can help by improving your mood, as can diet, Dixon-Cravens adds. She recommends cutting back on sugar and caffeine, and boosting your intake of "the right ingredients." One of her favorites is garlic, a popular natural cold-buster. You can scarf a clove raw like she did a few weeks ago when she thought she might be coming down with something. ("I took a bite, and I could feel it throughout my whole body," she says. "What I was dealing with went right away.") You can also just cook with it or pop a supplement, though.

Oregano is another easy one to sprinkle in whatever's on the stove, but other herbs — such as red clover and astragalus — will take a bit more effort to consume. Dixon-Cravens is also a fan of elderberry, which is the active ingredient in GNC's new ViraBLOC lozenges.

If tracking down this entire list seems impossible with your packed schedule, Dixon-Cravens wants you to rethink your priorities. "If you don't make time to be healthy, you'll have to make time to be sick," she reminds. Plus, Berman adds, there isn't much to lose by eating better and relaxing more: "There's no downside."

Mike FitzGerald, owner of Massage Envy Herndon/Reston (2557 John Milton Drive; 703-391-0123), feels similarly about rubdowns, which are his prescription for an immunity pick-me-up. "Up until recently, massage was thought of as a luxury, but it's a part of health and wellness, and when you get massages regularly, that's when the benefits come into play," he says, ticking off rewards such as lower blood pressure and improved sleep quality.

Don't have the funds for multiple massages? FitzGerald has ideas for taking matters into your own hands. For headaches, he recommends applying pressure to the flesh where the thumb and index finger meet. For lower-neck and shoulder stiffness, which is what strikes FitzGerald, he has another tactic. "It gets so I can't turn my neck, so I do shoulder shrugs, bringing them as high as I can," he explains. And if what would really soothe you is a foot rub, he advises taking a golf ball under your sole and letting it roll around.

Lurking germs might still attack, but you'll be ready for them.