The Spread

By Haniya Ghazi

 

Cold months call for cold and flu season, and no one wants to fall victim to that! Here are some everyday practices to avoid getting sick this season.

 

Wash Your Hands

 

 

Probably one of the easiest ways to avoid getting sick is to wash your hands constantly. Germs are everywhere and spread with regular actions such as opening doors, touching stair rails, and everything in between. So to make sure those bad germs don’t turn into a stuffy nose and fever, simply take 20 seconds to scrub your hands with soap and water whenever you pass a bathroom.

 

Drink Water

 

 

Staying hydrated and feeding your body plenty of water boosts your immune system and, therefore, helps it fight off illnesses. Try to drink about eight glasses of water per day by carrying a water bottle with you and filling it up throughout the day.

 

Keep Some Hand Sanitizer

 

 

Washing your hands is great; however, we are not always able to get to a sink. Keeping a small bottle of hand sanitizer with you wherever you go is the best substitute. It’s an easy way to quickly kill those germs before they become a cold!

 

Give Your Body the Right Nutrients

 

 

Vitamin C, probiotics and specific antioxidants are in healthy foods that you can eat to prevent getting sick this season. Drinking orange juice is a great source of Vitamin C, and it helps prevent getting sick as well as fights off your symptoms you already aren’t feeling well. Yogurt is full of probiotics that fight off sicknesses by boosting your immune system. And, finally, green tea contains antioxidants called flavonoids which also boost your immunity and help keep you flu-free this season. These are just some examples, but simply eating healthy is an easy practice to avoid getting sick.  

 

Sleep, Sleep, Sleep!

 

 

The recommended hours of sleep each night is seven to eight hours, and if you want to prevent the cold and flu, getting a good amount of sleep is VERY important. Without sleep, your body has an even harder time fighting off infections. So to avoid getting sick this year, prioritize having a good sleep schedule!

 

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