From
Health Expressions®
It can be tricky to stay healthy during cold and flu season, but a few good cold and flu prevention habits can help get you through without succumbing to illness. Increase you and your children's cold and flu defense by teaching them these cold prevention tips.
Wash your hands.
The surest way to catch a cold is to catch the germs that cause the cold. Frequent hand washings eliminate germs and keep you and your family healthy. Be thorough—a quick rinse doesn't cut it.
Get eight hours of z's.
Making sure you get eight hours of sleep every night is one of the best defenses against falling ill. A good night's rest allows your body to keep up its defenses. But if eight hours is out of the question, just aim for eight… and get as many as you can.
Schedule time for exercise.
With all the running around you do, you may overlook your regular exercise habits. Make sure that while you're scheduling all those activities, you keep the exercise routine on your calendar. Maintaining regular workouts will help you keep up your stamina.
Don't forget to relax.
You're not getting the downtime you need rushing from shopping to parties to school events. Remember not to overcommit. If you can, hire someone to help clean the house for the company you expect. At the very least, enlist the entire family to help with household chores.
Drink your water.
Be especially vigilant about drinking at least six to eight glasses of water a day while fighting cold and flu season. And if you're flying, drink even more water and avoid consuming alcohol on the plane—high altitudes are especially dehydrating. Water keeps your digestion working well, flushes the system, and fights fatigue.
Schedule a flu shot.
Follow the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding flu shots. The CDC advocates that children under 2 years of age, adults 65 and older, pregnant women, and anyone suffering from a serious medical condition receive flu shot priority. Visit the
CDC website to learn more. Also, talk to your doctor if you're concerned that you or your loved ones are at a higher risk for contracting the flu.
Take your vitamins.
Don't forget to take your daily vitamins. Consider taking extra vitamin C, vitamin A, and zinc, all of which may help you. Consult your family doctor or physician for the correct dosage.
