Keeping yourself healthy and protected during the flu season is not an easy task. After all, the flu is fairly easy to catch, especially if many of those around you are already afflicted with it. Although flu is treatable, nobody wants to go through a week or two of high fevers, tasteless food, and a barrage of coughs and colds! Prevention is definitely the best way to go, and what better way to start than to stay informed and reading! Of course, the following steps are listed up ahead. Let’s dive in!
Practice Good Hygiene On The Regular
Keeping yourself clean and disinfected is one of the top priorities this season. We cannot keep track of the objects we touch or environments we go through in a day, after all, so it’s best to be safe and clean. The following are things you can do to practice good hygiene:
Wash your hands before and after every meal (or before and after preparing food, if it’s your turn to cook), making sure to soap all nooks and crannies of your hands. Follow the 20-second rule of handwashing, and your hands will be germ-free for sure.
Wash your hands before touching any part of your face, especially when close to the eye or nose regions. If you’re the type of person who touches your face often, you might want to consider using a handkerchief or paper napkins instead of touching your skin directly.
Always cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing (or when others cough or sneeze). It’s best to keep each other protected from the spread of germs and viruses, especially during flu season. Again, handkerchiefs or paper napkins will also be of great help in situations like this.
Take constant showers. Showering daily is a must, you can even opt to shower twice a day if you feel the need to.
If you’re going out, bring a hand sanitizer or a mini alcohol bottle. You will definitely be touching a lot of things that may have been used by flu-ridden individuals, so it’s best to be conscious of when you touch something new.
Get Enough Sleep
Did you know that getting enough sleep can give you better resistance to viruses? The body releases proteins called cytokines that help fight infection by regulating the immune system. Other reasons for this resistance may be unknown as of the moment, but what studies show is that eight hours of sleep every day is the perfect formula to evade viral infections, even after exposure! (But, of course, we want to steer clear from exposing ourselves, too.)
Drink Green Tea
Green tea is known for its high level of antioxidants, which is why you might see the words “detox” and “green tea” used in the same sentence a lot of times. This particular property of green tea is what attracts its regular drinkers. In fact, this cleansing aspect of green tea is so popular that manufacturers even go as far as infusing green tea extract with other products such as capsules, lotions, and cleansers. A piping hot cup (or two) a day will definitely keep you healthy.
Move, Move, Move
Regular physical activity can boost your immune system. A bit of sweat here and there will keep your heart pumping, pushing bad bacteria out of your system. Schedule a regular hour for exercise! Even just a few jumping jacks or a quick jog around the backyard, as long as they are done regularly, will keep that pulse up and that immune system in tip-top shape.
Maintain That Healthy Diet
Get munching on those leafy greens! Eating fruits and veggies is an important part of any attempt at staying healthy. You are what you eat, after all. It’s only natural that eating fresh and healthy food will keep your immune system at its best shape. Foods rich in Vitamin D are best for boosting your resistance, so egg yolks, red meat, and oily fish such as salmon, sardines, and mackerel are best.
