We hear it year after year, day after day, especially during flu season and now more than ever that we should take care of ourselves, take care of our health to avoid getting sick and to avoid getting others sick as well. How do you go about staying healthy when it feels like you have a million things to do and a no time for you.
Here are our top 5 tips on ways to stay healthy and keep others healthy during cold and flu season.
1. Wash Your Hands
Using soap and warm water, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly, front, back, in between the fingers. Lather for about 60-90 seconds…sing the ABC song in your head. Rinse with water and use a paper towel, if possible, to dry your hands to avoid cross-contamination with reusable towels.
2. Drink plenty of Water
Water is crucial for many of your body’s functions. So it’s a great idea to drink water daily to help support you body’s functions, immune support and overall health. Aim to drink half you body weight in ounces of water each day. For example, if you weight 160 pounds, then aim to drink 80 ounces of water a day.
3. Exercise
Move your body daily. This helps with balancing hormones, improving sleep, and can help with cardiovascular endurance. All of these benefits help with your body’s immune response.
4. Eat nutritious foods
Eating foods that are as close to their natural state as possible is a great way to get nutrients your body needs to function daily. Working to get a variety of fruits, vegetables, lean protein sources and healthy carbohydrates and fats is a great way to fuel your body. It is a great way to help your body heal and improve your immune response.
5. Get Adequate Rest
Sleep and rest is so important to your overall health, not only physically but mentally and emotionally as well. We need about 7-8 hours of sleep. How do we get adequate sleep when we are so busy and our minds feel like they are constantly racing? Aim to turn off all electronics an hour before bed time. Find a quiet space and try some relaxation techniques or meditate to signal to your body that you are preparing to rest. Dim the lights so that you are further signaling to your body that you need to relax and rest.
Want more tips and tricks or some additional support? We’ve got some virtual and in person health and wellness classes as well as nutrition support and accountability groups available. Fill out this form to receive more information.