Flu-proofing your body 2 ways with specific examples

Fight back with food:

a: Black tea: Drinking five cups a day for two weeks can turn your immune system's T cells into "Hulk cells" that produce 10 times more interferon, a protein that battles cold and flu infections, according to a Harvard study. Don't like black tea? The green variety will also do the trick. If you can't stomach drinking that much, you can still get added protection with fewer cups.

b:  Garlic: According to a study published in Advances in Therapy, subjects who swallowed a garlic capsule for 12 winter weeks were two-thirds less likely to catch a cold; those who did suffered for 3 1/2 days less. Garlic contains allicin, a potent bacteria fighter, and other infection-fighting compounds, and Somer believes it's even more effective in food form. She suggests adding one to three cooked cloves to your food each day.

c: Mushrooms: They contain more than 300 compounds that rev up immunity, in part by escalating the production of infection-fighting white blood cells and making them more aggressive. Shiitake, maitake, and reishi varieties contain the most immune-boosting chemicals, but plain old button mushrooms will also do the job.

Shield Yourself From Germs

a: Wash often and well. "Washing your hands is the best way to fight viruses and germs—if you do it properly," says Philip Tierno, Ph.D, director of clinical microbiology and immunology at New York University and author of The Secret Life of Germs: What They Are, Why We Need Them, and How We Can Protect Ourselves Against Them. Also, When you can't get to a sink, a gel containing 60 percent or more alcohol will effectively remove cold germs, says Gerba, and helps protect against the flu by dissolving the outer layer of the virus. Hand wipes also work, but buy only those labeled disinfecting or sanitizing.

b: Don't share toothpaste tubes. Most people touch their brush to the opening, passing along germs.

c: Befriend paper towels. At home, replace bathroom and kitchen towels with disposable ones during flu season. At the office, use paper to open the office fridge and microwave, turn off a bathroom faucet, and exit the restroom.

d:  Deploy disinfectant. Your phone, computer keyboard, and desktop all harbor more harmful germs than the average toilet seat does. Wipe them down at the end of each day. At the gym, disinfect free weights, yoga mats and other equipment before using them. If you're staying at a hotel, wipe down the remote control, phone, clock radio, light switches, and door handles. The cleaning staff probably hasn't cleaned these things in months, if ever.

Kalish, Nancy. "4 Ways to Flu-Proof Your Winter." Active.com. Active Network, Inc. and Prevention Magazine, n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.