In a post-COVID world, the flu is has made a resurgence. Today, it’s not just about 10 tips to avoid colds and flu viruses, we still have to be on the lookout for COVID related infections that have many of the same symptoms. If you’re unsure whether you have COVID or you have the flu many simple at home tests are now available. Regardless of which of these three illnesses that you have, taking care of yourself is essentially the same practical process to get you on the road to recovery.
The cold and flu viruses are among the world’s most common infectious diseases. On average, adults may catch a cold or the flu about 2 to 3 times per year. With all the variants of COVID, many people have had it more than one time, regardless of vaccination status. However, with proper care and effective preventative solutions, you can avoid the severity and discomfort caused by the cold virus.
10 Tips to Avoid Colds and Flu Viruses
1) Drink plenty of water. Dehydration makes us vulnerable to infection, headache and exaggerates the symptoms of most illnesses. This simple action can damp down symptoms and keep you more comfortable if you get sick. Also, helpful to hydration is a humidifier. Having a humidifier in your home or office may help your risk of catching the cold virus. When the air is dry, it allows more viruses to pass throughout the atmosphere.
2) Do intermittent fasting. A comprehensive review by the NIH is scheduled to highlight the beneficial role of fasting in immunity and autophagy, that underlie one possible defense against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our bodies are well designed to break down pathogens and studies show intermittent fasting can create a state of autophagy once we have gone 12+ hours without eating.
3) Wash your hands often with anti-bacterial soap. If we’ve learned anything over the past year, it’s that the simple act of washing your hands thoroughly and usually stops the spread of colds and flu better than just about anything.
4) Get more vitamin D – the Sunshine vitamin. Please do not underestimate the significance of vitamin D. Try to get sun daily if you can. Vitamin D helps boost your immune system, and it also helps your body fight against the cold virus. According to WebMD, “More than 80% of 200 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 had vitamin D deficiency. Patients with lower vitamin D levels also had higher blood levels of inflammatory markers.”
5) Zinc stops viruses from replicating. If you have ever used products like Zicam for a cold, you know it works. It is effective because when zinc gets into a coronavirus, it halts a process that viruses are very successful at; replicating. The effect is you do not get as sick, and the virus is short-lived.
6) Take Vitamin C. Safe in doses up to 2,000 mg a day; this amazing vitamin plays an increasingly important role in our bodies. According to WebMD, “The benefits of vitamin C may include protection against immune system deficiencies, cardiovascular disease, prenatal health problems, eye disease, and even skin wrinkling.”
7) Cut back on Sugar. Consuming an excessive amount of Sugar may place your body and risk to suffer from the cold virus. Sugar weakens or suppresses the immune system. You’ll need a strong defensive mechanism to fight different kinds of viruses successfully.
8) Avoid touching your face. Your hands and fingers touch many surfaces. When you touch your face, you risk transferring germs and viruses into your body through your eyes, nose, & mouth. Particularly with variations of the coronavirus, the first place the virus takes hold is the nasal mucosa. Hand washing and avoiding touching your mouth and nose mitigate the transmission of cold and flu viruses.
9) Daily exercise. Even a short walk can help your blood and lymphatic system to circulate better and help to boost your body’s defense system. The lymph system depends on the contraction of the muscles to flush toxins out of the body.
Staying active by following a routine such as walking three times a week does a lot more than just keeping you in shape & fit. According to the Journal of Neurologic Clinicians, regular physical exercises and light walks can help lower the chances of inflammation & chronic diseases. In addition, it helps to reduce the stress-related hormones to increase blood circulation of disease-fighting white blood cells. In turn, the powerful white blood cells will help to fight off cold and flu viruses so you don’t have to suffer.
10) Get enough sleep. It’s very important that your body gets the proper rest. When your body is exposed to a virus, a rested body will have a stronger immune system to successfully attack the viruses, vs. having the virus attack your body. Healthy adults that sleep a minimum of 8 hours each night have a greater resistance to all viruses. Those that slept 7 hours or less a night were around 3-5 percent more likely more prone to get sick after having been exposed to the virus.
At Safety Toe Shoes USA, we want everyone to stay safe and well. We protect feet every day for hard-working people on the job and at home, and we hope you and your family will remain healthy in the new year.
