As flu season intensifies across the world, many people are finding themselves or their loved ones affected by the virus at an alarming rate. This season has been particularly severe, with an earlier-than-usual surge in infections and hospitalizations. While health experts suggest that the peak may have already passed, the dangers of the flu remain significant. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention attributes this sudden increase to reduced exposure to the virus during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to lower immunity among the population.

With hospitalizations quadrupling in recent months, it is evident that flu remains a formidable public health threat. According to Dr. Ravi Kesari, MBBS, MD in General Medicine "falling immunity" is a key reason behind the surge of cases this year. With flu infections still on the rise, it is time to begin protective measures for ourselves and our people. Here are some expert-approved methods, involving vaccination and natural habits that increase immunity, to help you stay healthy this challenging season.

The flu season this year has been especially virulent for several reasons: people's immunity levels have not reached their peaks, circulation of viruses has been more frequent, and the percentage of vaccination rates is relatively low. Data from the CDC revealed that by the end of November, only 40% of adults in the United States had been vaccinated, thus exposing most of them to dangerous infections and complications.

Dr. Kesari says "annual vaccination still remains the best way to raise immunity against seasonal flu." The natural methods enhance the body's ability to combat infections, so vaccination becomes a more effective strategy.

Natural Ways to Boost the Immune System

While vaccinations are the surest way of keeping the flu at bay, there are specific lifestyle changes one can make in order to develop a stronger immunity system and experience less severe attacks.

1. Maintain a Well-Balanced Diet

A nutrient-rich diet is vital for a strong immune system. Dr. Kesari suggests including foods rich in vitamins C and D, zinc, and antioxidants. Citrus fruits, leafy greens, berries, and nuts are known to strengthen the immune system, whereas yogurt and other probiotic foods maintain gut health, which is crucial for immunity.

2. Maintain a regular exercise routine

Moderate exercise, like walking, swimming, or cycling, improves blood flow and promotes immune response. Physical activity also decreases stress, which otherwise compromises the immune system.

3. Sleep Adequately

A good sleep schedule is essential for a healthy immune system. Sleep for 7 to 9 hours at night to enable your body to repair and regenerate, thus increasing your ability to fight infections.

4. Hydrate

Fluid intake is crucial for the body to flush out toxins and maintain immune strength. According to Dr. Kesari, "Water plays an essential role in keeping your immune system functioning efficiently." Fluid intake should be continuous throughout the day.

5. Stress Management

Chronic stress can significantly weaken the defenses of the immune system. A long-term study has shown that individuals experiencing stressful situations for extended periods are more open to infections. Techniques used in managing stress like meditation, yoga, and deep breathing exercises improve immunity and well-being.

Also Read: Flu Is A Greater Risk This Winter, Not COVID

Why It Is Important Get Vaccinated

Even though natural immunity boosters have several advantages, the actual method of preventing flu is vaccination. Flu vaccines are upgraded every year; this helps in combating the new strains of the virus and prevents more severe complications by reducing the rate of hospitalization and even death.

Who Should Get Vaccinated?

The flu vaccine should be given to almost everyone, but some more vulnerable categories should have the vaccine first.

• Older Adults: Age-related immune decline makes the elderly more susceptible to serious flu complications.
• Young Children: Their developing immune systems make them more susceptible to flu-related complications.
• Pregnant Women: Flu infections during pregnancy can lead to serious health risks for both mother and baby.
• Individuals with Chronic Conditions: People with diabetes, asthma, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses face increased flu-related risks.
• Healthcare workers: Individuals working in the medical field must be vaccinated to protect themselves and their patients.
• Caregivers: Those taking care of vulnerable individuals should be vaccinated to prevent transmission.

To maximize protection during flu season, combining natural immunity-boosting habits with vaccination is the best approach. "A strong immune system works hand-in-hand with the flu vaccine to enhance protection and reduce the severity of symptoms if you do get sick," explains Dr. Kesari.

As the flu cases continue to rise, it is time to take proactive steps to protect yourself and those around you. By prioritizing vaccination, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and adopting expert-backed immunity strategies, we can reduce the impact of this flu season and safeguard public health. Stay informed, stay prepared, and let's work together to beat the flu.

Dr. Ravi Kesari, MBBS, MD (General Medicine) at Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Bangalore In India.

As adenovirus cases continue to rise globally, health professionals have noticed that this potentially serious infection is sometimes being mistaken for another illness, what many are calling the ‘super flu’.

For those unfamiliar, adenovirus is a DNA virus that gradually affects a person’s upper and lower respiratory tract, as well as other organs. This can include the eyes, digestive system, and kidneys.

Adenovirus Or Super Flu?

According to Dr. Deborah Lee at Dr Fox Online Pharmacy, who spoke to Cosmopolitan: "It spreads when someone breathes in infected droplets, touches the virus and then rubs their eyes, or through the faecal-oral route (not washing hands properly after using the toilet)."

"It moves quickly in crowded spaces where people are close together." She added, "The virus is resistant to soap and many commonly used cleaning products."

Adenovirus: What Are The Symptoms?

The reassuring news about adenovirus is that most people recover within a week or two. Its symptoms are often similar to those of a common cold.

Typical signs include fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck. In more severe cases, patients may also experience conjunctivitis, ear pain, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach aches, or urinary tract infections.

Certain groups are at higher risk of serious illness. Dr. Lee notes, "Babies and children under five, older adults, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems are the most vulnerable."

Although adenovirus symptoms often resemble those of a typical flu, it’s important to know when someone is dealing with the flu—or worse, the current ‘super flu’ that’s circulating widely.

How Does Adenovirus Differ From The 'Normal' Flu?

One way to tell the difference is by how long someone is sick. Adenovirus tends to develop gradually, whereas the ‘normal’ flu often hits suddenly, with high fever and intense symptoms within hours, Lee explains. Common flu symptoms also include a high temperature (38–40°C), severe headache, and extreme fatigue.

Other key differences: adenovirus can occur throughout the year, while flu is mostly seasonal. Adenovirus can also cause pink eye and gastrointestinal problems like vomiting or diarrhea, but it’s less likely to lead to serious complications compared to flu.

What About The 'Super Flu'?

Doctors say it’s not only the regular flu that needs to be distinguished from adenovirus, but also the current ‘super flu,’ which is causing particularly dramatic symptoms.

This infection is caused by the H3N2 virus and tends to be more severe than typical winter illnesses, especially in the UK.

"Past data shows H3N2 has been linked to more hospitalizations and deaths from flu, especially among adults over 65 and young children, compared with other flu types," Lee explained. When comparing the ‘super flu’ to adenovirus, she notes that the symptoms are very similar.

However, she stresses that the ‘super flu’ is considered much more intense. Not only can your sore throat feel agonizing, but aches and pains may be strong enough to confine you to bed.

Adenovirus vs Super Flu: Symptoms Explained

While adenovirus and the so-called ‘super flu’ can feel very similar, there are subtle differences to watch for. Adenovirus usually develops gradually, with fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, and sometimes pink eye or digestive upset. Most healthy individuals recover within a week or two. In contrast, the ‘super flu,’ caused by the H3N2 virus, hits hard and fast—high fever, intense body aches, severe fatigue, and an agonizing sore throat are common.

Both illnesses can affect vulnerable groups such as young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals, but the super flu tends to bring more extreme symptoms that may require hospitalization. Understanding these distinctions can help people recognize the illness early and seek appropriate care.

Have you ever described feeling “cold feet,” “a gut instinct,” or “a shiver down your spine”? These common expressions might seem trivial, but they reflect something real. Emotional body mapping can help explain why.

Just as anxiety or depression can show up as physical symptoms, our emotions often register in specific areas of the body. Emotions guide much of how we experience the world, yet many of us rarely stop to notice how they affect us physically.

If you struggle to put your feelings into words, learning how emotions manifest in the body can help you connect more deeply with yourself.

Where Are Emotional Feelings Felt In Your Body?

A 2014 study by Glerean and colleagues identified 13 emotions and the specific areas of the body they activate—or don’t. Similar to a heat map, warmer colors (red, orange, yellow) indicate increased activity, while cooler colors (blue, green, indigo) indicate decreased activity.

If these maps resonate with your own experiences, they can provide insight into how emotions influence your body and overall well-being.

How Was This Tested?

The researchers proposed that each emotion triggers distinct physical reactions. They asked 701 participants to shade regions on a body silhouette where they felt heightened or reduced activity in response to various stimuli.

These stimuli mirrored real-life experiences: clips from films, conversations, and unexpected facial expressions. Across the participant pool, emotions consistently affected similar areas of the body.

A follow-up study in 2018 by the same team found that the intensity of bodily sensations mirrored the intensity of the emotion in the mind. In other words, stronger physical feelings were linked with stronger mental experiences.

From this, researchers categorized feelings as:

• Negative (unpleasant): anger, fear, anxiety, shame
• Positive (pleasant): happiness, love, pride
• Other categories: illness, homeostasis, cognition

Few emotions, such as surprise, were found to be neutral. Participants also reported that pleasant and controllable states occurred more often than unpleasant and uncontrollable ones. Anyone who has experienced overwhelming anxiety or depression will recognize that feeling of being out of control.

Emotional Body Chart

Certain emotions trigger strong physical responses, often preparing the body for action, such as the fight-or-flight response.

• Happiness: This emotion lights up the body the most. Warm sensations spread throughout, especially in the head and chest, signaling energy, vitality, and a sense of well-being.
• Anger: Activation is intense in the upper body—the head, chest, and arms. The hands are especially bright, reflecting the impulse to clench fists or act aggressively.
• Fear: Like anger, it activates the head and chest (heart racing). However, the feet are cold (blue), suggesting blood is being redirected from the extremities to vital organs.
• Anxiety: Almost entirely focused in the chest, representing tightness, rapid heartbeat, or difficulty breathing.
• Love & Pride: Both emotions show strong activation in the chest and head, associated with warmth, heart swelling, or the sensation of “puffing up” the chest.

Deactivation Emotions (Mostly Blue):

These emotions involve a withdrawal of energy and sensation from the body.

• Depression: The most deactivated state. Limbs are entirely blue, showing heaviness, numbness, and a lack of energy to move. The torso shows very little activation.
• Sadness: A mix of responses. The chest and eyes show some activity (linked to crying or heartache), but the arms and legs are cool, reflecting slowing or weakening of the body.

Other Specific Reactions:

• Disgust: Activation is concentrated in the digestive system—the throat and stomach—indicating nausea or physical aversion.
• Shame: A complex pattern appears. The chest and cheeks are warm (blushing), while the extremities are cold, reflecting internal turmoil paired with external withdrawal.

Understanding where emotions manifest in the body can help us become more aware of our physical and mental states. From the warmth of happiness in the chest to the heaviness of depression in the limbs, our bodies carry the signals of our feelings. Paying attention to these sensations not only deepens self-awareness but can also guide us in managing stress, improving well-being, and responding to emotions more mindfully.

Catching a cold during winter is fairly common because viruses spread more easily in packed indoor settings, and cold weather can weaken the immune defence inside the nose, making it harder to fight infections. Having a stuffy nose or a mild cough is one thing, but many people often confuse their illness with a cold when it may actually be flu. Flu symptoms are usually more intense and can include fever, headaches and body aches, along with a dry cough and sore throat. A cold, on the other hand, tends to peak within two to three days, with recovery usually taking about a week.

Cold vs Flu: Why Knowing the Difference Matters

With a strong flu strain causing disruption across the UK, knowing how to tell the difference between a cold and flu has become especially important. Berkshire NHS, which has around 17,100 followers on TikTok, has outlined three key differences between the two illnesses.

In a caption, the community NHS trust said: “Cold and flu symptoms can look similar, but flu is usually more severe. The flu vaccine helps protect against flu. Visit the NHS website to learn more.”

NHS Shares 3 Symptoms to Tell Cold and Flu Apart

The video features an NHS staff member pointing out three signs as she walks toward the correct option. The first is that flu comes on suddenly, often within a few hours, while a cold mainly affects the nose and throat. The final sign is that flu can leave you feeling drained and too unwell to go about your normal routine.

Can Flu Get Better on Its Own?

Flu often clears up on its own, but it can make some people very unwell. That is why it is important to get vaccinated if you are advised to do so and to follow safe distancing to reduce the spread of infection.

Flu Symptoms 2025

As per NHS, below are the flu symptoms that people need to take care of:

• A sudden high temperature
• An aching body
• Feeling tired or exhausted
• A dry cough
• A sore throat
• A headache
• Difficulty sleeping
• Loss of appetite
• Diarrhoea or tummy pain
• Feeling sick and being sick

What Are The Symptoms Of A Cold?

• A blocked or runny nose
• Sneezing
• A sore throat
• A hoarse voice
• A cough
• Feeling tired and unwell
• A high temperature
• Aching muscles
• A loss of taste and smell
• A feeling of pressure in your ears and face

How Long Does a Cold Last?

In most cases, a cold can be managed at home without seeing a GP. You should start to feel better within one to two weeks, with symptoms developing over two to three days.

Cold Symptoms in Children: What Parents Should Know

Cold symptoms can last longer in young children. They may become more irritable, struggle with eating and sleeping, breathe through their mouth, and sometimes vomit after coughing. As per NHS, try to get enough rest over the Christmas holidays if possible, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nourishing food to help lower the risk of illness.