Winter is upon us, and with that brings the dreaded cold and flu season. Doctor's offices will begin to fill as patients with bronchitis, colds and flu and similar ailments seek out relief from their myriad of symptoms. What most individuals don't realize is that have to ability to prevent these nasty illnesses before they even start. One good method is good old-fashioned hand washing. Frequent vigorous hand washing will get rid of all the germs, bacteria and viruses that you will undoubtedly pick up from doorknobs, other people, as well as by touching other things that people carrying these germs have come into contact with. Most people have been told the importance of hand washing, yet many fail to practice it, which leaves them vulnerable to catching a host of winter illnesses.

If individuals simply can't adhere to a strict hand washing routine, taking mega doses of vitamin- C on a daily basis is a surefire way to prevent becoming sick. Two thousand milligrams a day should be sufficient, and please don't let the instructions on the bottle confuse you or make you think that you are overdosing. Vitamin-C is constantly being used by our bodies, and if taken in large amounts, whatever our bodies can't use will be excreted through the urine. But most of the time, your immune system will need that extra boost from the vitamin-C, in order to assist it in fighting off the countless illnesses.

Of course nothing is foolproof, and many people will still get ill, despite taking the vitamin-C. Stress can wear a person's body down to the point that nothing helps them avoid becoming sick. There is a chance, though, to lessen the severity of the illness and shorten its course, should you feel yourself becoming sick despite the daily vitamin-C. As soon as you notice the first symptom, such as a sore throat, sneezing or runny nose, try slowly increasing the amount of vitamin-C that you take, yet only temporarily. If you increase the dosage too quickly, you will develop diarrhea, which is actually cleansing, yet of course quite troublesome, especially for busy individuals. Everyone has their own person requirement, so if and when you do develop diarrhea, that is simply an indication that you've surpassed your maximum dosage-or either increased it too quickly. Simply cut back a little at a time, until the diarrhea has passed. Then you will have discovered your own personal dosage. Only take this mega amount until all symptoms have subsided, then you can resume the 2000 MG dosage