For some reason, the swine flu seems to engender a panic that other infectious diseases - such as the "regular" flu - don't seem to. Part of me thinks it's all overblown. But another part of me thinks, better to prepare than to panic. And better to even over-prepare than to be sorry.
For myself, I think a very important part of preparing is doing everything you can to be in the best possible health - including pumping up the immune system and cleansing the digestive system. Diet is a prime factor in this. Lots of fresh fruits and vegetables plus a high-fiber diet are key.
So a part of my personal strategy is to have a Green Drink each day. (No one else in my family will drink them, and I don't force the issue. But I figure if anyone needs to not "go down" should there be a pandemic, it's me, the mother. So I drink Green Drinks regularly.)
This is what I do.
When I go grocery shopping, I buy a bunch of red chard and a bunch of kale. (Spinach, beet greens, collards, any other dark leafy green would work as well.)
I chop them up, rinse them thoroughly, and spin them dry in my salad spinner.
Then I mix them together in a large bowl.
Last, I package them in 1-gallon zip loc bags, which I keep in the fridge.
Then it's easy to prepare my green drink in my high-speed (K-tec) blender:
1. Put in 1-2 C of water.
2. Put in a large handful or two of greens.
3. Add a banana and other fruits (I like an apple and frozen blueberries. But I also use peaches, strawberries, and whatever I have on hand).
4. Blend on the "Whole Food" setting.
This produces a thick greenish-brown drink about the consistency of V-8. It has your full day's allowance of fresh fruits and vegetables (about 2 servings veggies, and 3 servings fruits, depending on what you add). My family thinks it's disgusting, but I have grown to really like it. I notice that when I drink my Green Drink, I feel better and have more energy. I think it will help me to stay healthy - or at least healthier - in the event of a swine flu outbreak as well.
