It’s that time of the year again where changes in the weather and the influx of bacteria as well as germ exchange causes for us to get sick. The coughs become more frequent and persistent, and our temperatures begin to rise due to a possible fever or worst. This year (as always) medical professionals are predicting that the cold and flu season will be a bad one! Therefore, taking the necessary precautions to avoid and/or reduce your chances of getting sick are important. Let’s face it, none of us really enjoy getting sick (well maybe the kids to get a day off from school, and some adults to get out of work lol), but ultimately we don’t because it takes a toll on our bodies; especially if you’re someone that’s a workaholic (always doing and on the move). So below I’ve attached a list of steps we can all take to prep and help get us through this cold and flu season. First things first:
1. Get a Flu shot – If you aren’t against getting a flu shot, then seriously consider doing so. Although there are different strands of the flu virus that one flu vaccination may not protect you from, it’s better you be safe than sorry. In addition, keep in mind that many neighborhood pharmacies as well as your job may offer free on-site flu shots. It’s definitely something you should consider taking advantage of.
2. Take inventory – What many of us don’t do enough, is take inventory of our medicine cabinets. Some reasons behind that can be that we feel the need to get over the counter (OTC) medicine only when we’re sick or get a prescription from a doctor, but it is important that we take inventory of the basics and remain up to date with them. Do yourselves a service by checking what you do/don’t have, are running low on, and/or need to toss out (expired).
3. Get organized – Organizing your medicine cabinet goes hand and hand with taking inventory. After you have taken note of the things that you do/don’t have, are running low on, and/or need to toss out; now is the fun part . . . time to reorganize! Medicine cabinets are but so big, therefore this should be pretty quick and easy. You can start off by creating small sections/areas for each type of healing aid as shown in the above picture. For example: pain killers grouped together, first aid grouped together, and cold+flu grouped together. Keeping each group of meds organized this way helps to easily access what you need knowing that it’s there and isn’t expired.
4. Dress for the weather – As the weather changes, so should what you wear. How well you dress during the transitioning seasonal weather into the consistent brittle-cold weather months can make a difference in you getting sick or not. Some helpful flu proof wardrobe tips are bundling up by wearing weather appropriate jackets/coats, dressing in layers, protecting your head with a hat, wrapping your neck with a flannel/fur/knit scarf, and wearing thicker socks. Yes, we all know how unpredictable this weather of ours can be (global warming), but even so, Dress for the weather!
5. Take additional precaution – Even with all of the above steps that you are taking to to tackle this cold + flu season, you must still do more by taking additional precaution. This includes: washing your hands often and/or using hand sanitizer frequently, taking care of your immune system by drinking plenty of water and taking a dietary supplement that helps improve the immune system (Airborne), and investing in a humidifier (add a few drops of eucalyptus or bergamot essential oils to it) to help clarify the air that you are breathing in your home. In addition, something many of us don’t think about often is changing out of our outside clothes immediately after we get home. Our clothes harbor a lot of the outside bacteria, therefore by keeping them on longer than we need to, we allow for those germs to travel and get into other areas causing for us to get sick as well.
I hope that you find these tips helpful in helping you and your family get cold + flu season ready.
*Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, always consult with your doctor first*