10 points to a healthy, Flu-Free Winter

Featured Photo by Pexels from Pixabay   Edited by ConSCIENCE

A flu season has just started and this year along with COVID-19 pandemic it is getting a little bit complicated. COVID-19 pandemic is going on till now, without any particular medicine or vaccine.

Coronavirus and flu both are very contagious respiratory diseases. So, in this regard, there is a tricky questions in our mind like,
What should we do if we get sick on seasonal flu?
This article offers you some insights regarding a flu-free winter.

It is even more important to stay healthy this winter

Cold season is there and we need to take proper care of its shivering hit. Cold breeze can take away moisture from your skin; you may feel chapped and dry all day long.

Further it can make you sick, as this is a flu season too, but, during this time there is another menace i.e., Coronavirus or COVID-19. It is a time of wide-spreading influenza and cold viruses. So, there is a huge chance to get infected by those viruses. 

In winter, there is a much craving for high caloric food, and due to trembling cold out there, many of us can’t continue their jogging or daily walking properly. So, there is a chance of getting fat and remain unhealthy too.

Researchers found that there is a direct correlation between inactivity and various diseases like heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes etc. So, it is very much necessary to remain fit and in shape during this winter to live happy and healthy too.

 Photo by Kristine Wook on Unsplash

Flu symptoms

Beautiful winter season is going on and it is the prime time to protect yourself and your family from flu and other respiratory diseases. You have to boost your immunity a lot to beat a flu or flu like symptoms. If you get sick, then following flu symptoms you may experience:

• Fever (not everyone with flu will have a fever)
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Cough
• Fatigue
• Body aches
• Headache
• Chills
• Sometimes diarrhea and vomiting

If you feel some of the above mentioned symptoms feel free to consult a doctor and take proper medication. But, try to avoid such things. It is better to not getting sick in this fall seasons. Just maintain some very easy tips and beat the flu.  

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Points to remain flu-free and healthy this winter

Some easy flu thrashing tips are as follows:

1. Maintain a proper hygiene

Maintaining a proper respiratory and bodily hygiene is very important. Always cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or a handkerchief during coughing and sneezing. Never do it openly in public places.   

Wash your hand frequently with soap and water, during these cold days; use a warm water to wash your hand repeatedly if necessary. Sometimes alcohol based hand rubs are okay to use, but soap and water gives you the perfect results.

Washing hands before eating and preparation of food is very much helpful. Wash your hands thoroughly and under the fingernails too.

Never touch your eyes, mouth and nose with a dirty hand; it may help to transmit the virus to your body easily. Always wash your hands before touching the face; avoid the spread of germs [1].

Photo by Iñigo De la Maza on Unsplash

2. Eat green leafy vegetables

Green leafy vegetables can help you a lot. They contain piles of vitamins and minerals those will help you to maintain a balanced diet, which leads to a good immunity throughout the winter [2].

Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts and other green leafy vegetables are important to boost specific cell surface proteins to gear up the immune system function.  

So, to build and maintain a strong immunity your plate should be half filled with varieties of green leafy vegetables.  

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay 

3. Exercise is must

Almost my every article says that exercise is must. It keeps you fit and fine year long. Even if you walk at least three times a week, it gives you more than a fit and trim body.

Study says that, exercise helps to reduce stress, stress hormones, inflammation and chronic diseases. It helps to increase the circulation of the disease fighting white blood cells to fight a common cold.

So, don’t skip the exercise, at least walk in your free time and as much as possible-keep moving.  

Image by Daniela Dimitrova from Pixabay 

4. Get proper sleep

Another point which I have told so many times that, get enough sleep. Sleep is a great remedy for virus infection.

Study showed that adults who slept for at least eight hour per day for two week, have greater resistant power against the flu virus rather than who don’t get proper sleep, they are more likely to develop a virus disease. Sleep deprivation is a potent cause of having a weak defense system.

So, grab your pillow and get a sound sleep.

5. Vitamin D is necessary

Vitamin D is very much necessary for bone growth, cardiovascular improvement and a good immune system. You should never get a vitamin D deficiency.

You can get this vitamin directly from sunlight. It is specially required for the dark skinned people who can’t get enough vitamin D from sunlight; they should take it from diet.

Decorate your plate with egg yolk, cod liver oil, salmon, tuna, mushrooms etc. Beside this you can take it as supplements from nearest medical store [3].

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6. Limit alcohol, depend on green tea

This is the time to limit alcohol and develop the taste buds for green tea. Drinking alcohol can destroy the dendritic cells and weakens our body’s immunity.

It can suppress our immunity and makes vaccine less effective for us, rather than you can go for green tea consumption. It is rich in antioxidants which have immense health benefits. Flavonoids has an immune boosting power, beside this, green tea can help to get rid of cardiovascular diseases by lowering blood pressure.

So, indulge yourself in freshly-brewed green tea several times in a day.

Image by florentiabuckingham from Pixabay 

7. Be social

This is the time for social distancing I know, but don’t stay lonely. Loneliness can harm your immunity as well. Yes, there is a risk of social isolation. It is directly related to chronic stress and inflammation.

So, in case if you are obligated to be isolated, then you may connect yourself to your loved ones via digital media, talking to them over phone or video call may help you to feel less lonely.

If there are no social distancing norms then be social, make friends, talk to your loved ones and visit them. Always remember that loneliness is a hazard to your immune systems.  

8. Use personal items only

In this winter season (I suggest throughout the year), use your personal items only and maintain your personal hygiene. Some personal daily usable items are towels, bathing bar, toothbrush, utensils, tea cup etc.

According to National Health Service, flu virus can survive up to 24 hours on surfaces. So, to avoid the spreading of germs, don’t share the regular usable personal items with anybody. One sick person can transmits the germ to full family via these items.

If there is urgent need of sharing, disinfect those items with disinfectant or soap before using it again [4].

9. Clean the frequently touched surfaces

Frequently touched surfaces like door knob, table, switch of calling bell, almirah handle, keyboard, toys etc. should be cleaned with a disinfectant. Flu virus can survive for 24 to 48 hours in hard surfaces like stainless steel or plastic [5].

So, it is necessary to clean those areas of your home if you suspect that anybody having flu has touched those areas.

10. Maintain a distance from affected people

Maintaining distance from affected people is very much important in case of flu virus, too, just like Coronavirus, the germs can transmit from them to you. Same is applicable for you as well. If you get flu, then practice isolation from your entire family, it is very much important.

It is a preliminary etiquette to maintain in case of all the contagious diseases. Many things we have learned from this pandemic, one of this is maintaining a distance or isolation, try to maintain this in future.

ConScience

Most of the tips to remain healthy are not any specialty but common scientific sense. Apply your common scientific sense to your life regarding a flu free winter.

Especially for this time, make sure you perform all the steps stated above very seriously; only then you can avoid those runny nose or sore throat or fever very easily.

In this ongoing pandemic, it is better not to get sick, as much as possible stay away from the doctor’s clinic, chambers, hospitals and nursing home. But in any case if you feel down take a prompt medical attention.

Stay healthy and aware your family too to remain healthy and enjoy a flu free winter. Stay happy, stay healthy, have a happy life....