4 Ways To Keep The Flu Away
With winter fast approaching, the cold and flu season is right around the corner. You may already have seen people sneezing or sniffling at work or at school. Given the contagious nature of the flu, the chance of you getting it from them is relatively high. The question is how to keep the flu away? There are a few tips that you could be mindful of when you’re out and about to avoid suffering from fever, headaches, cold shivers, lethargy, and all the other unpleasant symptoms of the flu.
Get Your Flu Shot
Flu vaccinations are often overlooked. Medical experts recommend that individuals above the age of 6 months should get vaccinated to protect themselves from the flu. This is especially important for vulnerable and high risk groups. This involves those with low immunity and those who are liable to develop further health related problems due to the infection. Consult your doctor in this regard and he/she will be able to administer the flu shot to you.
Staying Away From The Illness
This sounds very simple but it can be difficult to manage especially if the people suffering from the flu live in your house, sit in your classroom, or work in your department. Try to keep your distance from them as much as possible. Wash your hands thoroughly just in case you have touched the same items that they have. Germs can get transferred rapidly and easily so keep a small hand sanitizer bottle with you if possible and use it frequently. This is especially useful when there is no water or soap around.
Take A Sick Leave
If you wake up feeling like you may be coming down with the flu, take a precautionary sick day off. Rest for the day and rally your strength and health so that when you go back to work or school, you are not vulnerable to falling sick and are also not a threat to the people around you.
Eat The Right Foods
Stocking up on vitamin C rich foods boosts your immunity and makes your body less susceptible to infections. Fresh fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of not only vitamin C, but also other strengthening minerals and nutrients. With these natural benefits by your side, you can wage war against catching the common cold and flu sans any side-effects. Make sure that foods such as whole grains, dark green leafy vegetables, fish and citrus fruits form a prominent feature of your diet during the flu season.
Diagnosing The Flu
Despite all these precautions you may still fall prey to the invasive flu germs. The symptoms to watch out for include the following:
- Feeling feverish or having a high fever
- Sore throat (sometimes with cough)
- A runny nose or a persistently stuffy sensation
- Body aches
- Headaches
- Cold chills
- Lethargy and fatigue
- Vomiting, nausea and diarrhea is not very common but if the flu is of a more serious nature, these symptoms may arise too.
The common cold and flu are quite similar to one another in terms of general symptoms. The only way to differentiate between them is that the flu is more serious than the common cold. Your flu may be of a grave nature if you experience difficulty breathing dizziness, confusion, persistent vomiting, seizures, or discoloration of the lips (blue or purple). In such a scenario seek medical help immediately.
Take very good care of yourself during these winter months. For any suggestions or queries, be sure to leave a comment below!