Flu epidemic starts across Japan

Wednesday 17th December, 03:41 PM JST

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hoserfella at 07:29 PM JST - 17th December

meanwhile its business as usual at elementary schools everywhere in Japan where they send the kids out dressed in shorts and a t shirt in near-freezing weather
helloklitty at 09:00 PM JST - 17th December

A variety of foods is vital. Make sure you have five different colors of fresh foods in your shopping cart.

Sleep to keep your immune system cells strong enough to kill invaders. Don't drink too much coffee, either, as too much caffeine sabotages the immune system. No more than four cups a day.

Glutamine does wonders. Take 5-15 grams of GNC Pro Peformance.

Excercise then drink 17 ounces of chocolate milk immediately for recovery.

Eat yogurt daily. The acidophilus bacteria is a better antidote than antibiotics.

Don't use anti-bacterial soap or perfumed soap. Use semi-soft natural soap.

Keep fingernails short and dig them into the soap when you wash. This is where the germs congregate.

Drink lots to help dispose of toxins.

Get a flu shot by mid-November.
billclinton at 09:22 PM JST - 17th December

North,

That is hilarious. People should just eat their snot. Its ultimate historic remedy to build up the immune system. Chocolate milk cannot cut it. Pick your nose and eat it.
northlondon at 09:26 PM JST - 17th December

northlondon's alternative hellokitty remedy:-

Drink whiskey. Lot's of it and neat.

Don't bother sleeping too much. That's when the flu boogeyman will get you.

Don't bother eating much either. Just concentrate on the alcohol.

Sneeze and cough over everyone else to keep their immune building process healthy.

Thank you and goodnight.
Apsara at 09:59 PM JST - 17th December

I have managed to not catch the flu even once in my entire life, including 10 years in Japan, without taking any particular measures to avoid it. No glutamine, no chocolate milk, no digging my nails into soap and definitely no flu shot.

I think worrying too much about getting sick is probably bad for your immune system...
franz75 at 11:44 PM JST - 17th December

bill: you are right, I read an article a while ago about it.

In our society eating our boogers sounds disgusting but some studies did in fact point that the immune system gets reinforced.

When it will become the last trend, wait for a "talento" to promote a book about how to accommodate boogers...
franz75 at 11:49 PM JST - 17th December

"Drink lots to help dispose of toxins" it seems not in fact.

Water is just the vehicle your body uses to get rid of various things.

Drinking normally is enough.

"Drink a lot of water to eliminate" is bottled water companies slogan.
myosotis at 12:42 AM JST - 18th December

I think worrying too much about getting sick is probably bad for your immune system...

Apsara I whole-heartedly agree with you - I have never had flu and though obviously there will be times when you become infected and cannot avoid it, I think that believing you won't get sick also does a lot to strengthen your body. Mind over matter so to speak.
OhioDonna at 01:40 AM JST - 18th December

Sorry to hear that so many have the flu. I wish all a speedy recovery.
MeanRingo at 06:32 AM JST - 18th December

Here's an idea Japan, cover your mouths and don't go to work or school when you are sick. Done. Nipped in the bud.
bamboohat at 06:44 AM JST - 18th December

lots of sleep, keep hydrated, wash your hands frequently. Keep your self immune. Godspeed.
telecasterplayer at 11:30 AM JST - 18th December

Don't they have flu shots in Japan?
leitmotiv at 03:10 PM JST - 18th December

Flu shots in Japan cost consumers 5000 - 10000JPY. In the US $10-12. Many bureacratic layers of distribution in Japan is the main price culprit. The cost of making them is the same in Japan as in the US and EU.
leitmotiv at 03:13 PM JST - 18th December

BTW - regarding this article - the NIID updates flu cases in Japan weekly compared to previous years. There is no spike in the current NIID report. Yet the NIID was the source for this alarm article.

https://hasseidoko.mhlw.go.jp/Byogentai/Pdf/data4e.pdf
Youdontknow at 12:01 AM JST - 19th December

Sorry, but this is complete tripe!! Every year they bring this or a similar story about flu epidemics in Japan out, and put the fear of God into the public. The public then goes out and spends millions of dollars (or yen) on flu vaccines, medicines and anything else related to fending off flu.

To date, in nearly ten years of living here, I've yet to see a single person with the flu!