Hundreds of flu cases have already been confirmed in Taylor County -and that means it’s about to strike campus in full force. Whether you got a flu shot or not, the time to fight flu is now, while you’re still healthy. Last year, while every GATA who stood around me in Sing Song fell ill to flu, strep and other illnesses, I remained healthy using a few immune system boosters.

So here’s a tip for fighting the flu from someone who’s survived it in the past, and (knock on wood) hopes to survive again this year too.

My number one tip is to watch what you eat. In the words of Seinfeld’s Soup Nazi, “No fried food for you!” If you want to fight flu, you can’t fill your body with fried food, sugary sodas and other low-nutrient foods. Now, I’m not saying to go on some kind of organic diet or something extra like that, but Cane’s chicken today could mean chicken noodle soup tomorrow. What I mean is: the food you eat now will either strengthen or weaken your immune system. Without proper nutrients, your body won’t be able to handle the viruses that hit you on top of a lack of sleep and stressful homework. A Sonic drink may sound good after a long Sing Song practice, but we’re not in high school anymore, so we need to stop treating our bodies like they’re invincible.

Eat some spinach, broccoli, or your choice of green vegetable. Skip the soda and go for the green tea, which is great for your immune system (and a quick cure for a stomach ache). Drink some water, and may the odds be ever in your favor this flu season.