Top Ways to Protect Yourself From Cold & Flu Season
Top Ways to Protect Yourself From Cold & Flu Season
Ah, yes – the transition into fall weather... What could be better? The slight chill in the air, colorful views outside with all the leaves that are starting to change, and busting out your favorite hoodies to finally wear after a scorching summer.
With all the great things we’ve come to know and love about a new season on the horizon, we’ve also run into one major problem…
Cold and flu season.
Yes, it’s now time for the dreaded sniffles and scratchy throat to make their unwanted appearance once again.
Now, if you’re like many – you’ve come prepared better than the Y2K phenomenon and you’re ready to take on any bacteria and germs that dare to step in your way with just a few simple daily methods.
If you’ve been looking for a way to avoid becoming a human snot dispenser during the cold season, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, you are going to learn how much of the United States alone are affected by the cold season and what the best ways are to help you stay healthy and on top of your daily life with no interruptions, so you don’t fall victim to Osmosis Jones and his posse of germs.
Let’s get started.
The Overview
Right now, you’re probably thinking to yourself “there’s no way I can get that sick this year, I’ll be all right”. If you are this person, you need to re-evaluate everything as soon as possible.
Approximately 5-20% of the entire US population will get the flu at some point during the year [1] which, if you’ve ever had the flu, is not a fun time to be completely honest.
Cold and flu season can be incredibly detrimental to your overall health and keep you from doing many fun things you’ve been planning since summer.
Clinical lab tests show the increase in overall positive flu tests reported to the CDC.
It can take anywhere from 3-7 days [2] just to get over the flu, not to mention the 1-4 days it takes for the virus to even make itself known within the body where symptoms start to show [3]. That’s a long time to be out for the count and your boss won’t be too thrilled when you’re a week behind on work since you’ve missed so much time being bedridden.
The bottom line is that trying to keep your body as healthy as possible is the main priority to not only fend off any impending illness but also improve your quality of life.
Best Ways to Fight Off Cold and Flu Season
Would you believe that there are so many easy ways to help improve your body’s immune system without busting a hole in your wallet or having to chug down some ungodly-tasting medicine?
If you don’t believe this, here are some of the many solutions that you will find so incredibly easy to add to your everyday regimen.
#1 - Sleep
Yes, you read that right.
One of the most important things that your body needs is sleep. Getting enough rest on a nightly basis and letting your body recover is a crucial step toward making sure that you maintain positive health.
At least 6-8 hours of sleep per night is recommended so that you feel well rested and recovered each morning.
#2 - Eat a Healthy Diet
The common mistake most people tend to make is not watching what they eat closely enough. A diet consisting of highly saturated fatty foods and deep-fried portions of French fries does nothing to help your body maintain optimal health.
You’re essentially just taking a Lamborghini and filling it with diesel fuel. You’re loading toxins into your body and making it harder for you to fight off bacteria than a healthy diet. Stay consistent with eating healthy while still allowing yourself to eat all the food you love on your cheat meal times.
Giving your body the best nutritional layout is the fuel it needs to fight off any sickness while staying healthy. The food that goes into your body is so important – make sure you’re still getting all your micronutrients and reds in.
#3 - Use Wellness Supplements
One of the easiest ways to help improve your immune system is to start implementing daily supplements packed with Vitamin C and Vitamin D.
These simple products can be a complete lifesaver when it comes to fighting off illness and building up your immune system to make sure your body stays protected from germs or other airborne sicknesses.
NuEthix Formulations has developed a key solution that helps with immune function and respiratory health and healthy stress response.
Ideal Immunity consists of a highly researched formula to include ingredients that are specifically catered toward fighting toxicity and illness prevention.
This product packs a major punch and then some when it comes to the well-rounded ingredients which include the following:
- Turmeric Extract for cardiovascular health support
- Resveratrol that acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
- Andrographis paniculata which is used for its antibacterial benefits
- Elderberry: is well known for it being loaded with vitamins and antioxidants that help boost immunity and lessen the effects of stress overload
Another great addition you can add is several of NuEthix Formulation’s stress support products which I’ll explain more on.
You see, your body’s cortisol levels can play a major role in your overall health. In layman’s terms, you’re more likely to get sick when stress is high.
As your body starts to display increased levels of cortisol, you become susceptible to catching something as simple as the common cold due to decreased immune system efficiency.
Adding in one of these incredible stress support products will help you in many ways other than just preventing sickness.
#4 - Proper Hydration and Exercise
As stated previously, treat your body right and give it the proper fuel it needs.
By staying sufficiently hydrated and getting in the gym, you’re doing more to help than you would ever think. Exercise alone has many health benefits from improving heart health to fighting off disease.
By exercising daily, there becomes a change in antibodies that help fight off sickness more rapidly than they would when not exercising. Working out can also positively affect body temperature, which can help prevent any growth of bacteria and your body can also fight off infection easier.
Even just setting aside the soft drinks and opting for water throughout the day is a much better method towards improving immunity as you’re not overloading your body with processed and refined sugary drinks that provide zero nutritional value other than to give you a little jolt of energy with the caffeine that’s contained in it.
The Take Home
With all these aspects in mind, you’re now able to swiftly approach cold and flu season more well prepared than before you read this.
Overall, everyone is at risk to get sick. There’s no getting past that.
However, doing what you can to reduce those risks is what matters the most and your body and future self will thank you later for this.
By following these simple steps and incorporating them into your everyday routine, you’re now much more capable of improving your lifestyle and keeping your body ready to fend off any germs that can keep you in bed for a few days at a time.
Not only do you save yourself some money by not having to miss any time from work but you’re also improving your chances of being able to go out and have fun this fall and winter while not having to drag yourself through a mountain of tissues or Nyquil every single night.
References
1. R. Morgan Griffin Medically reviewed by Carmelita Swiner, MD on August 28, 2020 https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/flu-statistics
2. R. Morgan Griffin Medically reviewed by Carmelita Swiner, MD on August 28, 2020 https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/flu-statistics
3. R. Morgan Griffin Medically reviewed by Carmelita Swiner, MD on August 28, 2020 https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/flu-statistics
Austin Perry
Veteran fitness and health writer Austin Perry has accrued almost a decade worth of experience in sports nutrition and supplementation while having numerous featured articles published and shared within the wellness community.