Staying healthy during the winter flu season has always been difficult. Unfortunately, with the advent of H1N1/Swine flu staying healthy has become an even greater challenge. Seasonal and H1N1 flu are both caused by viruses. As a result antibiotics are ineffective treatments. Both are transmitted between people in the same fashion and present with identical signs and symptoms. In fact, because laboratory tests for H1N1 are not routinely available it's nearly impossible to differentiate between infections caused by H1N1 and seasonal flu. If you're unlucky enough to be infected are there any steps you can take to cure the flu?

Call your doctor as soon as you're convinced you have the flu. This is particularly important if you have any chronic medical problems such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease. Your doctor may prescribe either Tamiflu or Relenza to help cure your flu faster.

Stay well hydrated. Dehydration tends to worsen flu symptoms. Stick with oral rehydration solutions such as Gatorade which contain essential minerals and electrolytes.

Start alternating acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Most people claim that the worst part of having the flu is the muscle aching caused by the fever. The alternating combination of anti-pyretics insures that the fever will be controlled while requiring less of either medication.

Get plenty of rest. Your body's immune system is at war with an invading virus. Give yourself as much help as possible by not over doing it.

Avoid vices such as alcohol and tobacco. Tobacco causes lung irritation and inflammation that make it more difficult to cure flu and predisposes you to developing bacterial pneumonia. Alcohol promotes dehydration and requires energy to metabolize it.

*  Vitamin and homeopathic supplements may be helpful for preventing a flu infection; however, once you're infected no studies have demonstrated that any of them help to cure flu faster.
*  If you've been diagnosed with flu then do your coworkers a favor and stay home for a full week. It's certain they don't want your flu.

*  It's easier to prevent the flu than to cure it. Strongly consider getting immunized against the seasonal human influenza. There's now a new H1N1 human vaccine to prevent H1N1 influenza. Since it's currently in limited supply initial doses are being given primarily to high risk groups such as children and pregnant women. Once vaccine quantities are adequate it's hoped that most of the general population will receive it.