Milk. We know it does the body good, but can a glass a day keep the flu bug away?

“There’s a lot of research going on with it right now. In theory, when you look at Vitamin D and how it’s processed in the body, yeah, maybe it does have a relationship to general health and certainly the flu,” says family physician Dr. Avery Wright with the Lee Memorial Health System.

Part of this theory stems from previous research that suggests sunlight can help keep our immune system healthy. “We need sunlight exposed to our skin to help vitamin D create itself into the steroid that it becomes. That steroid does seem to interact with our genes. It produces proteins, it seems to produce antimicrobial types of things that can help fight off bacteria, viruses, and fungus infections,” explains Dr. Wright.

She suggests just 10 to 15 minutes of sunshine a day can provide the daily recommended amount of vitamin D. “And it certainly doesn’t hurt to take vitamin D, if you are taking a muti-vitamin that’s a good idea. Frankly, a lot of people’s diets lack those kinds of things,” she adds.

The old-fashioned remedies can also help keep the flu bug away. “Hand washing. Healthy diet. Keeping your immune system strong. Exercise.”

Researchers to date have found that people with vitamin D deficiencies are five times more likely to get sick than those with healthy levels.