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QUINCY, ILL. -- This year's flu season is hitting the U.S. hard.

The Center for Disease Control reported widespread flu activity in 47 states, including the Tri-States. But you don't have to be a victim of the epidemic, just take your vitamins.

"It helps to boost your immune system, thus helping you prevent the common cold as well," Chiropractor and certified nutritionist Justin Felsman from Adjustin Chiropractic said.

With so many vitamins out there, how do you know which ones to take?

"Usually the first thing I recommend to my patients is called ACEZ," Felsman said. "it's an easy acronym to remember. So you want to increase vitamins A, C, E, and zinc."

You may also want to increase healthy eating into your lifestyle. About 80 percent of your immune system comes from your stomach. Try eating foods like yogurt, sauerkraut and vegetables which have probiotics in them.

"It's basically a health bacteria," Felsman said. "You need good bacteria that's in your body that breaks down nutrients and allows your body to health itself essentially."

If you do get a cold you might want to see your doctor, your chiropractic doctor that is.

"A lot of time when people get the common cold, they'll get irritated sinuses, they'll get insomnia when they can't sleep really well and things like that," Felsman said. "Whereas if you get things moving better and you take the pressure off the nerve roots it allows people to fall asleep a little bit better and will affect the sinuses better."

Or you can always opt for a classic remedy like chicken noodle soup.

"A lot of times you get dehydrated when you sick so the chicken noodle soup usually has a lot of sodium in it," Felsman said."A lot of them are coming out with sea salt and that's actually what's going to help absorb water and retain water and that way you're not getting dehydrated."

The CDC recommends other ways of preventing the cold like: covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze; washing your hands often with soap and water; and avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth.