5 Tips to Stay Healthy During Cold and Flu Season

Over the course of 2020, everyone has become a lot more mindful about what they need to do to stay healthy. Every year, the cold and flu season puts everyone at risk for getting sick and feeling extremely unwell, with colds being common viral illnesses that usually cause mild symptoms like a runny nose and congestion. Add the COVID-19 pandemic into the mix, and it’s become a nightmare!

This cold and flu season, it’s more important than ever to do what you can to keep your immune system strong and protect yourself from catching a nasty virus. Seasonal flu, a recurring annual illness caused by influenza viruses, and other contagious respiratory illnesses like colds and flu can spread easily during this time. When you take extra steps to keep yourself healthy, you’re also protecting the people who are closest to you by minimizing their risk of coming into contact with a virus and reducing the chance of infection.

Give Your Body the Rest That You Need

When you don’t get enough rest, virtually every system in your body will experience negative consequences. This is particularly true of your immune system. Sleep is essential to your immune system’s ability to perform as well as it should. When your body is at rest and doesn’t have to allocate its energy towards basic functions such as moving around and digesting food, your immune system is able to harness some of that unused energy to recharge itself and fight off invading germ cells. Your immune system’s fighter cells are their strongest when you’re asleep; they’re better able to latch onto foreign virus cells and destroy them.

Make it a point to give yourself approximately seven to eight hours of sleep every night. If you have trouble getting that many hours of sleep, try modifying your schedule to start going to bed earlier. Prepare some of the things that you need to do to get going the night before so you can spend a little extra time in bed.

Optimize Your Gut Health

Much of your immune system’s activity is controlled by your gut. If you have poor digestion, your immunity will invariably suffer. In particular, you need to keep the microbial community that lives within your gut in check. The population of healthy bacteria has to outnumber the population of unhealthy bacteria. If your digestive tract is overpopulated with unhealthy bacteria, it will slow your immune function. Also, it will impede your digestive function and make it more difficult for your body to absorb the nutritious content in what you eat, which could put your immune system at a further disadvantage.

Eating a diet rich in fiber and taking a supplement that contains probiotics and digestive enzymes is an excellent way to optimize your gut health. Gundry MD Total Restore reviews from people who use the product report improved digestive function as well as enhanced energy levels. As well, drink kombucha or take a probiotic before your meals. Remember to consult your doctor before doing any of these.

Make Healthy Meal Choices

When you eat healthy meals as part of a balanced diet, you provide your body with essential energy and support your immune system, especially when many people around you are getting sick. Eating a lot of foods that lack beneficial nutritional content and instead contain primarily refined carbohydrates or highly processed ingredients will overburden and slow down your digestive system. This will diminish your immune system’s fighting power. Instead of filling up on empty calories and unhealthy additives, choose meals that are rich in fiber, lean protein, and vitamins. A nutrient rich diet that includes a variety of colorful fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats will provide the essential vitamins and minerals needed to enhance immune function.

Fuel Your Body With Vitamin D

Most people associate Vitamin C as the number one vitamin that you need to stay healthy and fight off a cold or flu. However, it’s also imperative that you make sure you’re getting enough Vitamin D. People get some Vitamin D naturally from exposure to the sun. During the winter months, though, people tend to be outside less often and don’t get as much Vitamin D as they normally would.

Your body needs Vitamin D to keep white blood cells strong and circulating throughout the body. When your white blood cells are functioning well and able to stand up to enemy virus cells, you’ll be far less likely to lose the fight against a virus and better able to ward off a cold or flu.

Be Conscientious About Hand Hygiene

While many cold and flu viruses are transmitted through the air from person-to-person contact, you also have to remember that it’s very easy to get sick by touching surfaces. Practicing regular hand washing is a key preventive measure to reduce the spread of germs. When you come into contact with a frequently touched surface that someone with cold or flu germs has touched, you are at high risk for coming down with the same virus. Be sure to wash your hands right away when you get home.

When you’re out and about doing errands or going to appointments, try to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with your hands, as touching your eyes nose can increase your risk of infection. If you have a cough, remember that cough is a common symptom, and managing it is important for your health. When coughing or sneezing, always cover your mouth and nose to prevent the spread of germs—good hygiene includes covering your mouth when coughing and sneezing. Coughing and sneezing can easily transmit viruses, so be mindful to use a tissue or your elbow to cover your mouth and nose. Additionally, avoid close contact with sick individuals as a preventive measure, and if you are experiencing symptoms, it is best to stay home to avoid spreading illness to others.

The Importance of Flu Shot

As we navigate cold and flu season, one of the most effective steps you can take for cold and flu prevention is getting your annual flu shot. The flu vaccine is a powerful tool in protecting yourself and your loved ones from serious illness, especially during peak flu season when influenza viruses are circulating widely. By receiving the flu shot, you significantly lower your chances of experiencing flu-like symptoms such as high fever, sore throat, and runny nose, and you help prevent the spread of germs to others.

The flu shot is particularly important for older adults, young children, and anyone with chronic health conditions, as these groups are at higher risk for severe illness and serious complications from the flu. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the flu vaccine can reduce the risk of medically attended influenza by up to 55 percent, depending on the year and population. This means fewer trips to the doctor, less time feeling unwell, and a lower chance of developing complications that can impact your overall health.

By staying up-to-date with your flu vaccine, you’re not only protecting yourself from illness but also making a big difference in your community by reducing the spread of germs. The more people who are vaccinated, the harder it is for the flu to spread, helping to keep everyone safer during cold and flu season. Don’t wait—make the flu shot a priority for you and your family, and help protect against the cold, flu, and their potentially serious symptoms.

Creating a Healthy Environment

A healthy home and work environment can make all the difference in cold and flu prevention, especially during flu season when germs are everywhere. One of the simplest ways to stay healthy is to regularly disinfect frequently touched surfaces like doorknobs, light switches, phones, and countertops. These spots can harbor influenza viruses and other germs that cause cold and flu symptoms, so keeping them clean helps stop the spread of illness before it starts.

Purifying indoor air is another smart step. Open your windows when possible to let in fresh outside air, or use a HEPA air purifier to help remove viruses and bacteria from your indoor air. This is especially important during the colder months when we spend more time inside and germs can linger in the air.

Teaching kids good hygiene habits is also key to flu prevention. Encourage them to wash their hands often with soap and water—singing “Happy Birthday” twice is a fun way to make sure they wash long enough. When soap and water aren’t available, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer is a great alternative. Remind everyone in your household to avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth, as this is a common way infections enter the body.

Supporting your immune system with healthy habits is just as important. Drink plenty of fluids, eat nutritious food, and manage stress to keep your body strong. Staying physically active, getting enough rest, and avoiding close contact with people who are sick can further reduce your risk of catching or spreading cold and flu viruses.

By making these healthy habits part of your daily routine, you can help protect yourself and your loved ones from cold and flu symptoms, reduce the risk of severe illness, and create a germ-free environment that supports your overall health all season long.

Stay Healthy

Staying healthy during cold and flu season may require a little extra attention to your health, but it’s certainly well worth your efforts. Keeping your immune system in top fighting condition and minimizing your risk of exposure to viruses will help ensure that you have a great and enjoyable start to the new year ahead.

How do you stay healthy during cold and flu season and during this pandemic? We would love to hear from you in the comments at the bottom of this page. 

 

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