"It seems that each year more and more people decide to take vitamins to help their bodies recover from the flu," said Keller.

The first piece of advice Keller gives her customers is to talk with their doctors before taking any medication that they might purchase over the counter.

"The first thing people need to think about before they start taking vitamins is that some will react with the medications the doctors have given them. So the best advice I can give is to check with your doctor before you take anything new," Keller said.

Keller is not a doctor—she has no degree in medicine—but she does read everything she can on vitamins and other ways to keep the body healthy.

"Vitamins are a lot of common sense. There are things we eat and drink and are exposed to that take the vitamins out of our bodies, and replacing them can be simple if you follow directions," Keller said.

Cold and flu season may be one of the busiest times of year for Keller and her staff.

"We have many vitamins and supplements that can help the symptoms of the cold and flu and a lot of vitamins that can help prevent people from getting sick. I haven't been sick in the 20 years that I've owned this store," Keller said.

One of the supplements that Keller said helps if flu symptoms are already on the attack is zinc. Studies have shown that zinc can help reduce the amount of time a person suffers from cold and flu symptoms, she notes.

Zinc can be taken in many forms. There are several fruits and vegetables that contain lots of zinc, and zinc lozenges can be purchased at the House of Nutrition.

"One thing that people forget about when they get sick is protein. Protein is very important when you're sick because the flu can drain a lot of that out of your body. That's one of the reasons people eat a lot of chicken soup when they are sick. Chicken has a lot of protein, and it's also a comfort food. Cod liver oil is also a good thing to take when you're sick," Keller said.

Keller also suggests keeping the body full of electrolytes when one is feeling sick.

"Electrolytes help keep your body balanced and give it the energy to fight the virus of the flu. So keeping your body full of the things that the flu can drain out of it will help you feel better," Keller said.

Some of the other supplements that can help when one isn't feeling well are echinacea and golden seal. Both are derived from plants and are replacements for chemicals that the flu can take out of a healthy body.

"Echinacea is very good for helping to prevent the cold or flu. Both echinacea and goldenseal help boost the immune system, which will fight infection in the body," Keller said.

Keller is dedicated to keeping the residents of Willow Glen as healthy as she can.

"I do lots of mail order, and if someone lives locally and can't get out of the house for one reason or another, I try to deliver their order myself. I believe in helping my neighbors, and that's one of the ways I can do that," Keller said.

House of Nutrition, located at 1371 Lincoln Ave., is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. For more information, call 408.292.4109.