Colder weather and getting sick seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly. With that said, coming down with illness doesn’t have to be a guarantee this winter. The right precautions and practices can help individuals avoid catching a cold, fighting the flu, or finding out they’re positive for COVID-19.
The following serves to highlight the best ways to evade illness in the colder months of the year:
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Eat right
One of the keys to not getting sick is having a strong immune system. Eating the right foods and avoiding the wrong ones is essential for boosting immunity this winter. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables provides your body with the vitamins and nutrients it needs to combat infection. Sticking to healthy sources of fats and proteins are also crucial, as well as limiting your daily sugar intake.
Teach your kids about good hygiene
Kids are notorious for bringing nasty germs home with them. Even if they don’t get sick, they can pass infectious diseases on to others in the house. With this in mind, parents must teach their kids the basics of good hygiene. Effective handwashing is number one on the list, following by keeping their hands away from their mouths. It’s also a good time to help kids stop finger sucking, nail-biting, nose picking, and similar bad habits.
Practice what you preach
If you want to avoid getting sick this winter, you need to do the same things you teach your children. Wash your hands with warm soapy water several times a day, apply sanitizer in between, and keep your fingers away from your face. It also pays to properly wear a well-fitted and filtered face mask when in public or around others in confined spaces.
Get enough sleep
Sleep is essential for maintaining a well-functioning immune system. With this in mind, those who wish to avoid getting sick this winter will want to stick to a routine sleep schedule. While eight hours is the generally accepted amount of healthy uninterrupted sleep, some people only need six while others might need more. The important thing is to go to bed close to the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning. The resulting rhythm will give your body the time it needs to recover, including your immune system.
Have a fitness routine
Regular exercise is another contributing factor to having a healthy immune system. If you want to miss out on catching a cold or worse this winter, you’ll want to have a productive fitness routine in place. It’s essential to do activities that elevate your heart rate for at least 10 minutes per day or 30 minutes every other day. In conjunction with healthy eating and better sleep, routine fitness will aid your body in its effort to ward off infectious diseases.
Coming down with an illness during the winter doesn’t have to be inevitable. While there’s no way to completely prevent ourselves from getting sick, and disease can strike during any season, several factors can determine whether or not we make it through the winter without catching a cold or worse.
