Every year as the weather gets colder, the people around you start to get sicker. Kids might bring it home from school or you might pick up something at work. You might touch a door handle or a shopping cart and pick it up that way. Every flu season brings more than fifty flu-like illnesses that could cause you to get sick. Not all of them are the flu, but each one could slow down your ability to work and think about children vitamins during cold weather. There are several different ways that you can avoid getting hit by the worst the flu season has to offer. In this article, we will look at five ways to help keep the flu at bay.
1) Cleaning
Washing your hands correctly and often is a good way to kill off any germs you have come in contact with. Make sure that you use hot water and antibacterial soap. Hand sanitizer is not as effective as hand washing because washing removes the germs from your hands. Hand sanitizer just kills germs, which is better than nothing.
It is also a good idea to use a good disinfectant to clean your home. The kitchen and bathroom are the places where germs are more likely to spread. You can find a good disinfectant by looking for online medical supplies. The disinfectants from a medical supply store are usually more powerful then what you can find in the grocery store.
2) Eat foods that can boost your immunity
Onion and garlic can help fight off infections like the cold and flu. You can add a bit of onion or garlic to the recipes that you have. There are also garlic pills available if you do not want to add the ingredient to your meals. These foods are also good for your heart. Onion and garlic can help with cardiovascular diseases and reduce cholesterol.
3) Get enough sleep
If your body is not getting adequate amounts of sleep, then it can’t properly fight off any virus. Not getting enough sleep can raise the hormone cortisol which weakens the immune system.
Make sure that you go to bed at a time that you can get seven to eight hours of sleep before you have to wake. Studies have shown that people who have slept less than seven hours are three times more likely to catch a cold. Stay away from the phone, computer, or TV a few hours before you can go to sleep. The blue light from electronics can interfere with your body making melatonin. Another good tip for sleeping is to use meditation or breathing techniques to calm your mind before sleep.
4) Get the flu shot
One of the best ways to prevent getting the flu is to get the vaccination. Flu vaccine effectiveness varies from ten to sixty per cent. Part of the reason is that it’s not always clear what strains of flu will be the most relevant until the flu season starts. Even if the flu vaccination is not the most effective, the vaccination can reduce the severity of the flu. If you get the flu, the number of days it impairs you decrease with the vaccination.
5) Be prepared when sickness strikes
An online survey conducted by City MD found the three out of five people left the house when they were feeling ill. One of the most common places that they went to is to the drug store. You can help prevent spreading illness when it strikes at your house by having the medications ready at home before you get ill. What do you need in your flu survival kit?
- Fever reducers such as aspirin
- Saline drops
- Cold and sinus meds
- Cough drops
- Tissues
- Comfy blankets and pillows
- A book or show to binge-watch
Fluids are also important to have in your kit. It’s important to stay hydrated when you get sick. Everyone has their go-to for fluids when they are sick, water, Gatorade, tea, 7up, or even soup can help you stay hydrated. It doesn’t matter what you drink, as long as you drink plenty of fluids and get rest.