5 Precautions to Avoid Cold and Flu

Cold and flu season is upon us, and as there is no known cure for the common cold, prevention is the key. Here are a few easy ways to take precautions to avoid getting hit by the cold or flu bug.

1. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. Studies have found that washing your hands at least five times a day can cut the incidence of illness by about 45%. Furthermore, wash your hands twice each time you do wash, as one washing has little effect on the amount of germs apparent on your hands.

2. Take Echinacea-Echinacea is thought to boost your immune system and protect you from contracting a cold. It is available in both pill and extract form.

3. Keep hydrated and eat nutritiously. Keeping your body hydrated and healthy is a huge part of cold prevention. Foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, and spices like garlic and cayenne are great for contributing to an enhanced, healthy immune system.

4. Keep your home clean. Germs tend to build up in your home on surfaces, especially in your kitchen near the sink where it is a moist environment. Keeping an extremely clean house is a great prevention tool, especially during this season when people in your household may be bringing germs home with them.

5. Keep moving. Although it’s sometimes harder to be active in the darker winter months, aerobic exercise speeds up the heart and pumps more blood throughout the body, increasing the body’s natural fight against sickness.

Although colds are easily spread and seem to be a yearly occurrence with most people; taking some preventative steps can minimize both the chances of getting a cold or flu bug, and the severity of it when it does hit. Other preventative measures to take are consuming lots of vitamin C, garlic supplements, and sitting in a sauna weekly in order to kill any bugs that may otherwise survive in your body.