Did you get the flu or COVID last year? If so, you are probably wondering what steps you can take to keep from getting sick again this year. The good news is that there are a variety of steps that you can take to protect yourself from the flu and COVID.
Your immune system is what protects you from viruses, germs, and other illnesses. Various lifestyle factors affect how well your immune system works. You can keep your immune system healthy by making just a few small changes to your daily routine.
Want to avoid the flu and colds this year? Follow these science-backed ways to boost immune system naturally.
Wash Your Hands Frequently
It’s not difficult to craft a battle plan to prevent the flu. Good old handwashing is a great strategy. Hand washing works because it helps keep germs from getting inside your body. Think about how many things you touch throughout a day —elevator buttons, door knobs, faucets. During cold and flu season, these things are likely contaminated with viruses. Some cold germs and viruses can live on surfaces — and hands, for hours.
Handwashing Tips
Follow the below tips to make sure you get the most out of handwashing.
Correctly Wash Your Hands
When washing your hands, it's important to make sure you are doing it correctly. Otherwise, it won’t help prevent colds. Running your hands under a light drizzle of water for 10 seconds will likely not do much to keep you from getting the flu. Instead, follow this technique:
- Use soap and water
- Wet your hands. Rub them together vigorously
- Don't forget your wrists and under your fingernails
- After 20 seconds, rinse your hands thoroughly and dry them under a dryer or with a paper towel
Use Hand Sanitizer
Hand-washing is an effective way to get rid of germs that cause viruses. However, you can use hand sanitizer if you don’t have access to soap and water.
Wash at the Right Time
How often you need to wash your hands will depend on your daily activities. If you work at a daycare center, you might have to wash your hands more frequently than someone who works in an office. Here are some basic guidelines for when you should wash your hands:
- Before and after you eat
- After using the bathroom
- After handling vegetables or raw meat
- After handling garbage
- After coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose
- After handling or touching your pet
- Before and after changing a baby's diapers
- Before and after feeding a baby
Practice Good Sleep Hygiene
When you don’t get enough sleep, it affects your immune system, making it more likely that you will get sick. Research studies have found that people who receive the flu vaccine and are more well-rested develop better protection against the flu than those who don’t sleep as well. That’s likely because not getting enough sleep leads to higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Not getting enough sleep may also lead to more inflammation in your body, which can impact your immune system.
So, how much sleep do you need? Experts and researchers say that seven to nine hours a night is ideal to boost the immune system.
Take Immune Boosting Supplements
Your immune system is what defends your body against viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens. Keeping your immune system healthy all year is vital when it comes to preventing infections and colds.
There is no single supplement that will prevent or cure disease. However, taking a combination of supplements may help boost the immune system naturally, thus making it less likely that you will get sick.
Here are some of the best immune-boosting supplements. These all have research to support their role in boosting immunity.
TeleWellnessMD® has an Immune Support Package that is very helpful because it contains all of the above important antioxidants and enzymes vital for immune functioning —in one convenient package. This is the perfect immune booster for the 2022 flu and cold season.
Questions?
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TelewellnessMD® provides consulting and program recommendations for general health, age management, nutrition and other wellness healthcare needs through an online platform and network of wellness medical providers. Trim® Nutrition’s product line includes vitamins, supplements and protein shakes manufactured in CGMP facilities and proprietary nutrient injections compounded in a certified licensed pharmacy using the highest quality ingredients. Headquartered in Clearwater, Florida, Trim® Nutrition’s clinical staff of physicians, pharmacists, registered nurses, and research and development specialists are dedicated to the mission of Making Bodies Better™.