It’s that time of the year again when the flu virus becomes more rampant than ever in the U.S.
During such times, people become more prone to getting sick.
Apart from leaving you indisposed, sickness makes you feel miserable. Also, how can one forget the exorbitant medical bills that come with it!
However, you can save yourself from the nightmare.
All you need to do is take care of certain basic, yet vital aspects that will help reduce your chances of falling ill and spending money on the never-ending doctor visits and medicines.
Having an overall healthy lifestyle comprised of a nutritional, balanced diet and regular exercise will help bolster your immune system and reduce your risk for illnesses.
1. Wash Your Hands Frequently
Cold and flu can spread way too easily through touch. Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose, and mouth as much as possible. Hand-washing is one of the best ways to combat germs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a proper hand washing session of 20 seconds is the most effective way to avoid infectious diseases.
Also, consider using a hands-free dispenser instead of using a bar soap as germs can grow on the latter. Dry your hands immediately after washing them. The chances of bacteria spreading on damp hands is quite higher than dry hands.
2. Get Enough Sleep
The lack of sleep can hamper the proper functioning of your immune system.
Sleeping for 7-9 hours every night can significantly increase your white blood cell count, thereby boosting your body’s immune system. What’s more? Sleeping for a sufficient amount of time can help improve memory, spur creativity, sharpen attention, allow you to maintain a healthy weight and even reduce stress.
A restful night’s sleep is one of the easiest ways to prevent sickness, which is why adequate sleep should be an integral part of a healthy lifestyle.
3. Eat Healthy
Opt for low-fat and nutrition-rich foods. Proper nutrition will not only keep your body in top shape, but will also ward off infection.
Make sure to consume a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. They are naturally alkaline. Maintaining a healthy balance between acid and alkaline food in your diet will help achieve optimal health and well-being.
4. Exercise Regularly
Just half way through the day but feel mentally and physically drained?
If that’s the case, then maybe it’s time to start exercising regularly.
Not only can regular cardio and resistance training help you burn off extra calories, it can wash away toxins from your body and make you feel more energetic.
In fact, indulging in 45 minutes of exercise, five days a week results in minimizing the chances of falling sick by up to 50 percent. However, this doesn’t imply that you should hit the gym every single day. Consider taking your workouts outdoors. Take advantage of the clean fresh air and soak up some early morning sun. Take a hike, ride a bike, or go for a run – anything that you enjoy doing. Just make sure not to overdo exercising as that may end up causing too much stress on your body.
5. Keep Your Stress Levels in Check
Did you know how profoundly stress can weaken your immune system?
Stress can take a major toll on you – your body, your thoughts, and even your behavior.
Therefore, it is crucial to take steps to tame it before it gets out of hand. Engage yourself in regular physical activities and relaxation techniques such as meditation and yoga.
Consider trying yoga poses such as Virasana or Child’s Pose to calm the mind and achieve inner peace, Sarvangasana, Plough, and Sun Salutation to circulate toxins downwards, and Spinal Twist to help twist out the toxins and get them out of your system.
These yoga poses can help you beat stress and take the edge off. You can find out more about yoga exercises and poses throughout the web!
Conclusion
Staying healthy isn’t an impossible feat. A little effort and certain effective changes in your lifestyle can go a long way in keeping you healthy and fit. This way you can reduce your chances of falling sick; not just during flu season but also throughout the year. Follow these tips to supercharge your health and increase your chances of getting through the flu-season unscathed!
Author bio:
George Catlin founded Withdrawal Ease due to his own struggle with opiate dependency following a surgical procedure in 2007. He has written The Opiate Withdrawal Survival Guide and created a nutritional supplement system specifically formulated to reduce the acuity of opiate withdrawal. Check out his about page on his blog for the whole story.