With flu in October, the scenario of past years must be dismissed. It was not that long ago that there was a predictable pattern to the cold and flu season. Colds commonly begin in the fall, often coinciding with back to school, and were found to end with that other transitional season, spring. Flu used to be a winter occurrence and summer colds certainly happened.

Flu has now been dubbed a year round occurrence. Keep in mind that it's unlikely you will get the same strain of flu more than once. You may feel as though you are coming down with the same thing again but probably the symptoms are a bit different. Why wait around for another strain?

Even more risky is not being conscientious about totally expelling that “unwanted guest.” Remember, making peace with an invader is a dangerous thing. You want to fully drive it out, restore yourself and move on.

You can make sure that your "righteous chi" is fully restored by taking a maintenance dose of herbs for a few days after you feel better. That's a good way to lock the door against another "unwanted guest" moving in. Let your constitution be your guide. Some can restore themselves in three days, while others may need a week, and there are even those who need a month or more.

This season is proving to be a tricky one and you don’t want to leave yourself open to the “popular” next thing. Some fads shouldn’t be widely shared.