- Lil Sweetie
How to Attack Cold and Flu Season
It's officially cold and flu season. As I write this blog I hear sniffles, sneezing, coughing, and I'm already trying to avoid that one co-worker who is starting to get sick. I'm not a germ-a-phobe by any means but I want to avoid getting sick at all costs. That might mean I disinfect my airplane seat and folding table, I wipe down the desks in my office, and at the first sign of a cold, I drink a lot of teas and take an emergen-c. So what can we do to try to avoid getting sick? My go-to is always an emergen-c but that's just me.
WASH YOUR HANDS
Lather up your hands as much as possible and make sure you are running your hands under water to dilute germs and send them swimming down the drain. Take your time and make sure you wash your entire hand. ewe.
NEVER TOUCH YOUR FACE
This is a pretty good rule of thumb in general, especially if you have a fancy eyeliner on and you don't want to smudge it (that happens to me all the time). Your nose and eyes are the most common places for germs to get into your body. Touching your face puts you at a higher risk for germs to enter into your body.
DO NOT BITE YOUR NAILS
Need I say more?
SLEEP
The holidays and days afterward can be busy but it's important that we give our bodies rest. When you are feeling under the weather you need more sleep so make sure you are sleeping for 8-10 hours a night to get your system in tip-top shape to fight off any germs.
FRUITS AND VEGGIES TIME
Eating healthy will give you all of the vitamins and minerals your body needs to help support a healthy immune system. Eating fruits and veggies gives your body a better chance to fight off any unwanted cold or flu.
WORKOUT
Believe it or not, working out actually enhances your immune function, and can help you avoid the common cold or flu.
STAY AWAY FROM SICK PEOPLE
If you are sick, stay home, nobody wants to have to avoid you. If you have to be around sick people make sure you follow the above steps to reduce your risk of getting sick.
SANITIZE
Sanitize everything...just kidding...not really. Sometimes if you aren't able to wash your hands with soap and water try to keep the sanitizer on hand. Make sure you read the label before you by sanitizer and look for alcohol-based wipes or gels because those will be more effective at killing germs.
QUIT SMOKING
Smoking actually increases the risk of infections and a lot of other complications!
DON'T SHARE FOODS
Stay away from those pesky double-dippers, you know who you are. Avoid buffets where lots of people touch the serving utensils. This isn't to say you can never attend a party or go to a buffet but maybe stay clear of these items during the peak of the cold and flu season. Plus, you don't really need the extra calories.
USE A LEATHER PURSE
Cloth purses actually carry a lot more germs than a leather bag does. So Santa didn't deliver this year? No problem, go out and buy yourself a brand new leather bag to avoid those germs.
BE HAPPY
Smile, be happy this will help defend yourself from colds and flu. Sex, positive thinking, playing with your fluffy pet, and doing what you love will actually boost your immune system, so go out and do what makes you HAPPY!
AVOID ALCOHOL
Party pooper I know! drinking alcohol actually damages the dendritic cells in your body which is a vital component of your immune system.
CALM THE F DOWN
Chronic mental stress can actually lead to physical illness. Try doing some meditation or yoga to relax. Cortisol will help the body fight inflammation and disease but a constant release of cortisol will actually make it less effective.
HELP OTHERS NOT GET SICK.
Stay at home at the first sign of a cold, cough into your help and not your hands, use tissues when you sneeze, and NEVER double dip.
Some of my personal favorites
DRINK GREEN TEA! The high levels of antioxidants are known to help you feel better and lower blood pressure.
GET A FLU VACCINE, most health insurances offer this for free and you can avoid a few of the common strands of the flu.
EMERGEN-C As soon as I feel a little tickle in my throat I immediately drink this and I swear by this product!
ZINC (basically the same as Emergen-C)
AVOID SHARING ANYTHING, thanks Coach Chris, I'll have my own this time!
WIPE DOWN GYM EQUIPMENT, this should be done ALL DAY EVERYDAY!
