Why does flu season peak in February?

Three important factors may explain why flu cases tend to be highest in the second month of the year.

While "flu season" tends to run from October to April, for the past three decades the cases of flu have been highest in February. Is "catching the flu" just an inevitable occurrence that just strikes us at random? Is a respiratory infection just bad luck, like getting struck by lightning? Is it something we have no influence over, or is there actually a lot that we can do to mitigate our risk of both getting sick and reduce the severity of the sickness if we do get sick?

Thanks to our friends at Grassroots Health for the amazing graph showing the correlation between flu cases and low Vitamin D levels.

Discussing three significant contributors to flu season also shows us how we can be proactive and take control of our health.

The spike in flu cases in February is likely due to the convergence of several factors:

1. February is typically the coldest month of the year, this brings very dry air. The flu virus can survive outside of a host longer in cold and dry air.

2. The dead of winter is when Vitamin D levels tend to be the lowest.

3. The body is still recovering from the abuse it experienced during the holidays.

Good news! You can take control of your health. You're not a potential victim of the "flu-fairy" or bad luck. You can mitigate your risk of infection by making sure your Vitamin D levels don't dip during the winter by taking a good Vitamin D supplement. You can also be aware that the increased stress, sugar, and alcohol during the holidays is a recipe for sickness and choose not to abuse your body.

If you're one of the people who choose to focus on the strength of the body and immune system instead of being in fear of how strong the virus is, we applaud you and hope you'll help share this with your friends and family.