Experts: Good hygiene can ward off flu.

2004 NOV 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The wisdom mothers have been dispensing for ages - wash your hands, eat your vegetables, go to bed earlier - turns out to be great advice for avoiding the flu.

Doctors and nutritionists say careful hygiene, a balanced diet and plenty of rest and fluids can go a long way toward keeping people healthy during the influenza season, especially considering this year's vaccine shortage.

"Taking care of yourself from a health standpoint is probably the best thing you can do," said Dr. R. Michael Gallagher, a family physician and dean of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey's School of Osteopathic Medicine.

"People who are run down, they're overworked, not getting proper rest or proper nutrition, these people increase their risk" of illness, he said.

Besides getting enough sleep - at least 7 hours a night for adults and more for youngsters - managing stress is important, Gallagher said, because too much can weaken one's immune system.

Frequent hand washing, using soap and hot water and rubbing vigorously for about half a minute, also is crucial.

"What you want to do it is try to interrupt transmission of disease with the kinds of things our mothers taught us," said Dr. Mitchell Cohen of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.