Winter is called the cold and flu season! But it’s also that time of the year when most people love to travel. Whether it’s a trek, hike, or camping trip, you can’t let the flu hamper any of your plans this holiday season. There are a ton of things that you can do to prevent winter cold and flu from reaching your doorstep. Here are all our tips to steer clear of the not-so-cool, cold!
8 Tips To Prevent Winter Cold And Flu
- Avoid Touching Your Face
- Nourish Your Body With Winter Superfoods
- Have An Exercise Routine
- Practice Good Hygiene
- Soothe Your Sore Throat
- Keep Yourself Warm
- Curb The Congestion In Your Nose And Lungs
- Manage Your Stress
1. Avoid Touching Your Face
You may not realize how many times you’re tempted to touch your face and rub your eyes each day, especially in winter. It’s natural to do these things since our facial skin becomes excessively dry in winter and you might feel like rubbing or touching it.
But by doing these things you’re making a way for germs in the air to enter your body. So, see to it that you avoid touching your eyes and mouth. Make sure that you also frequently sanitize or wash your hands before you eat.
2. Nourish Your Body With Winter Superfoods
During winter you want to stay energized and the best way to do so is by fueling your body with steaming warm meals. Stews with fats, soups with spices, and hearty warm gravies are what you want to aim for. Fresh hot meals will boost your immunity and give you the strength to fight the common cold and flu.
Here are a few foods you can include in your diet to be healthy and increase your body’s immunity:
- Vegetables like pumpkin, carrot, sweet potato, and spinach (rich in Vitamin A and fibers)
- Dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese (good sources of protein)
- Fruits like berries, oranges, kiwis, and pomegranates (rich sources of Vitamin C)
- Nuts and seeds like almonds, cashews, chia, and pumpkin seeds (rich in magnesium)
- Foods like tofu, chicken, chickpeas, and broccoli (high in zinc)
3. Have An Exercise Routine
When your body is physically fit and healthy, you’re less prone to getting winter colds and flu. So, it’s important that you have an exercise routine daily. One of the best kinds of exercises for the body is aerobics. It’s basically any exercise that’ll increase your heart rate. You can also try jogging, running, or dance workouts to stay active.
4. Practice Good Hygiene
As mentioned earlier, a lot of surfaces around you like your keyboard, phone, door handle, and table are breeding grounds for bacteria. Anyone in your home or at your office can get the flu and when they touch these objects around them, they’re infected. So, you need to practice good hygiene, not just in winter, but always. You can use disinfectant wipes to clean any surfaces and products used by you and other people. It’ll help reduce the chances of you catching a cold or the flu.
5. Soothe Your Sore Throat
One of the most common indicators of a cold and flu is a sore throat. The constant irritation that you experience in your throat can be caused by a virus or bacteria that’s entered your body. It should get better in 1-2 days. If you still experience irritation in your throat you can ease it with some natural home remedies. One of the best things to do is sip some tea with honey, lemon, and ginger in it. Even drinking warm water can help soothe your throat pain.
Here’s a simple recipe for a herbal drink to cure your cold, flu, and sore throat:
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of boiled water
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 2 cloves
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
- 2-3 cinnamon sticks
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 3-4 tulsi leaves
Recipe:
- Bring some water to a pot to boil. Add cloves, fennel seeds, cinnamon sticks, and ginger to it. Keep the heat low and mix the ingredients well.
- Add the tulsi leaves into the mixture and crush them. After that, add some pepper and stir the mixture over low heat for around 8 minutes.
- Strain the mixture into a glass and add some honey to it. Your herbal drink is ready, you must drink it while it’s hot.
6. Keep Yourself Warm
During winter you’ve also got to dress for the weather to avoid catching a bad cold. Wearing thermals and taking out garments like sweaters, hats, gloves, and socks are a must in winter. If you’re still feeling chilly and a shiver running down your spine, you can opt for hand and foot warmers. Keeping heat packs handy will also help when your joints or muscle ache due to the drop in temperature.
7. Curb The Congestion In Your Nose And Lungs
Another common problem faced by many people in winter is congestion in their lungs and nasal areas. The dry air around you is mainly responsible for the thickening of the mucus inside your nose and the infection in your throat. That’s the reason why you experience a stuffy or runny nose in cold weather.
Here are a few things that can help curb the congestion in your nose and lungs:
- Take steam to drain the mucus from your nasal passages.
- Have a hot water bath daily.
- Use a humidifier in your house to add moisture to the air.
- You can place a warm towel on your nose in order to relieve the pain caused due to congestion.
- Drink warm water.
8. Manage Your Stress
The more stress you take, the more susceptible you are to falling sick. It weakens your immune system and curbs your body’s ability to fight disease. You need to engage in activities that’ll help you relax and calm down. One of the best ways to keep stress levels in check is meditation. You can also do some easy relaxation exercises or have massage therapy to declutter your mind.
Summing Up
Follow these 10 tips to prevent winter cold and flu from knocking at your door. Don’t let the cold bother you too much by giving yourself all the care and nourishment your body needs. Your winters will then be nothing but a blissful time to cherish!
FAQs
What Is The Best Way To Prevent Cold?
One of the best ways to prevent colds is to maintain personal hygiene. You need to wash your hands and keep them clean. If you know of anyone who’s caught the cold and flu, see to it that you maintain a healthy distance from them.
How Do You Get Rid Of Cold In 24 Hours?
If you want to get rid of the cold in 24 hours, you need to drink warm water throughout the day. You can also gargle your mouth with salt and water to clear your throat. Even using a humidifier to add moisture to the air can help you breathe less dry air in winter. If none of the above things work, take medication as prescribed by your doctor.
What Foods Prevent Cold?
Some of the best foods that prevent colds are tomatoes, oranges, ginger, garlic, spinach, and sweet potatoes.
What Is The Best Home Remedy For Flu?
The best home remedies for cold and flu are ginger tea, honey, and tea, gargling with salt and warm water, chicken soup, and eating fruits that are rich in Vitamin C.
