Avoid The Nasty Cold & Flu's This Season

Oh boy that nasty cold and flu season is here and in full swing! I personally haven't taken a true sick day from work in a years. I tend to use 1/2 days if I am feeling something coming on, I come into the office to clear my desk and switch around any meetings and then I head back home. Some people may be offended by my actions, as I could be potentially harming others, however in the high volume stressful corporate world, taking a full day from the office is just not possible and because of the responsibilities jobs carry today we feel so guilty actually taking a full day away.

But this year I wasn't so lucky, I travelled this past week and sitting in the airplane all around me were sniffling, coughing adults and runny nose children walking up and down the isles to keep them busy and from crying. All I could think about was please do not let me get sick. I travelled both flights with my mouth covered by my overly large sweater that I always wear when I travel to keep from breathing in germs but this time it wasn't enough.

As the years pass, the germs get stronger and stronger and the colds and flu’s are much more dangerous and stay longer. This one lasted about 5 full days and went through many stages. So needless to say why I chose this topic for the news letter.

So some situations we are put it, we cannot avoid being subjected to germs, so how can we avoid getting a nasty cold or flu? Below are a few things that have been imbedded in my head year over year, and have worked pretty consistently for me:

1. Eat healthy foods and a well balanced diet, you want to eat foods that help boost your immune systems, so things like garlic and crushed cloves, and cheese believe it or not has a component of dairy fat that boosts your immune system, however once you have a cold you will want to avoid dairy all together because it increases mucus. Yogurt is another good food to add to our diet as a breakfast or a snack, as it has probiotics that keep our bodies full of healthy bacteria.
   
2. Eat lots of washed fruits and vegetables, beans and liquids, vegetable and tomato broths are great for our bodies. And try not to indulge in too much fast food, not only because the food is hard for our bodies to digest and break down but also because of all the germs floating around in a high volume fast food restaurant!
   
3. Wash your hands! Cannot stress this enough; literally wash your hands as much as you think of it, and keep a hand sanitizer in your car, purse if you’re a woman, at your work station, in your kitchen etc.
4. Keep antiseptic wipes close by. You wouldn't believe the germs that sit in things like your keyboard, mouse and telephone. Constantly wipe down your work station and kitchen to get rid of germs. Phone is a big one because we breathe while we speak and you’re breathing in germs from that last hand shake or use of a door handle.
   
5. In the bathroom, grab a paper towel before you use the tap, use it to turn on the tap and off, and also use it to open the bathroom door, most bathrooms have garbage’s our side of them or near by, just throw it out after you have left the washroom.
   
6. Take vitamins to aid your immune systems such as vitamin C and Zinc, there are many others that help. Also acidophilus is a probiotic that will help you year round and especially during this cold and flu season. Zinc can be found in peanut butter, so it’s really not something that you have to go out of your way to add into your diet.
   
7. Lastly, the obvious ones that we are told that generally keep us healthy are: exercise at least 30 minutes daily, get lots of rest - 8 hours at night, try and avoid stress (your B vitamins will help you with dealing with this) and lastly, try and avoid over consumption of alcohol and cigarettes.
   

I hope that you all stay healthy this winter season and if you do get hit with a nasty bug, rest & liquids are your best friends!

Have a fantastic month of December!! And try to remember some of these steps when you are at the busy malls while holiday shopping!

oh and one last thing... if you are out of your home and are eating a sandwich, either keep it in it’s wrapping while you are eating it, or cover it with a napkin, this way you avoid the germs from your hands directly being in contact in your food while you will ingest.

Take care all!

Lyndsay & Laurie