Lower Flu Risk with Humidifier

A humidifier can help keep your home influenza-free, say Oregon Stat University researchers. They found that increasing the moisture level in the air causes 80 percent of the flue virus to die within an hour compared with a 30 percent drop in a dry environment.

One theory hypothesize that a boost in humidity may deactivate flu molecules while they're airborne, possibly by altering their size or shape. Set your humidifier to 50 percent and be sure to empty, dry and refill it every day, otherwise you'll be wheezing for different reasons: mold and bacteria.