Even more ways to Stay Well This Winter

1. Use Cutting-Edge Immunization
For the needle-phobic, there's a new virus-nuking option that may be even better than the shot: the over-the-counter nasal spray Flu Mist. One puff in the nostrils daily and it works just as well as the shot, if not better, says William Schaffner, M.D., professor and chair of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville. One recent study found that children who got the spray were half as likely to get the flu as those who got the shot. The spray protects against more strains, Dr. Schaffner says.

If you'd rather just dose yourself once, get one of the 100 million flu shots available this year. The vaccine is 70% to 90% effective in healthy adults, Dr. Schaffner says. Even if you do end up with the flu, the serum helps prevent complications, like pneumonia. Plus, the vaccinated are less likely to infect others--making the shot the choice for those with families. This October nurses will be administering shots at supermarkets, shopping malls, and pharmacies nationwide for $25 (or $10 with insurance). Log on to Find a Flu Shot for a location near you.

If you do get sick, Tamiflu is a good defensive measure. This tough prescription drug attacks both types of influenza viruses, A and B, by stopping their cell-to-cell spread inside the body. Tamiflu works best if taken within 48 hours of becoming sick, so the second you feel your first symptom (fever, headache, body ache), skip the Kleenex and Halls and go for this instead.

IMMUNITY BOOSTER: Physically or mentally challenging yourself for 45 minutes before you get a flu shot can produce more antibodies that will enhance the vaccine's strength, according to a study in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. So schedule your workout before your doctor's appointment, or take today's Sudoku puzzle with you to work on in the waiting room.

2. Get Some Restorative Sleep
Resting in Z-mode gives your immune system a chance to repair itself and get ready to fight off disease-carrying invaders, says Michael Breus, Ph.D., author of Good Night: The Sleep Doctor's 4-Week Program to Sleep and Better Health. A 2003 study reported in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine found that individuals who missed a night of sleep after receiving a hepatitis A vaccine produced fewer antibodies than did well-rested individuals who also got the vaccine but went to bed at their usual time.

IMMUNITY BOOSTER: If you're zonked out before your head hits the pillow, you're not getting enough sleep, Dr. Breus says. Set an alarm clock for 1 hour before your bedtime. When it goes off, that's your signal to start winding down and get ready for sleep.

3. Take Steps Against Stress
Study after study has shown that chronic stress depresses the immune system and may increase your risk of developing infections, Dr. Schachter says. When you feel you're under fire, your body reacts by producing lower levels of T cells, the first line of defense. When disease-carrying bugs actually invade, your body is less likely to be able to resist the infection.

Meditation can relax you while it also girds you against foreign invaders, suggests research by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., founder of the Stress Reduction Program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, Massachusetts. In one study regular meditators produced more antibodies--a key indicator of a more robust immune system. How? Researchers say meditation increased left-brain activity that's linked to immune function.

IMMUNITY BOOSTER: To lower stress, indulge in one of your favorite activities at least once a day. Read a magazine, cook a risotto, call your college roommate, do some yoga, or whatever it takes to decompress. Better yet: Take a sick day when you're healthy and rest your body and your mind. You're less likely to call in with a real frog in your throat.

4. Exterminate the Buggers
Germs can remain active on surfaces for several days, so make sure you zap them with an antibacterial solution, such as that contained in Lysol wipes. See Germ Zones  for the most common carriers of cold cooties, how to avoid them--and how to take them out en masse.