so is antiviral medicine like tamiflu. some are turning to home remedies like the one that claimed sleeping with an onion neer your bed absorbs the flu virus. others are exploring alternative medicine. >> the ones that actually have dead viruses in them -- >> reporter: at the washington institute of nat natural medicine in northwest d.c. says people have been asking her about preventing the flu. both h1n1 and seasonal. >> they're totally dead viruses and a very minute form. and the theory is it helps build the body's immune system and helps the body fight off the organisms itself. >> reporter: even natural food stores are feeling the effects. they're getting lots of requests for products that will boost the immune system. shelves are filled with products like echinacea, essential oils with antiviral properts and herbal products that claim to help ward off the flu. but family medicine physician dr. tiffany lucas points out that flu prevention can be as simple as and as cheap as soap