Colds and flu are common respiratory tract infections caused by viruses that can make it difficult to perform regular activities. To protect yourself from these infections and their symptoms, there are some simple measures that can help strengthen your immune system and lower the risk of getting sick. One such measure is to follow the French custom of greeting by kissing on both cheeks instead of shaking hands during cold season. This is because shaking hands can easily spread germs from someone’s dirty fingers.
Spending more time outside in the sun to make vitamin D, especially during winter months, and wearing a hat and scarf to keep your head and neck warm are other effective methods to protect against colds and flu. Eating a well-balanced diet, exercising regularly, and drinking hot beverages can also help. Proper hygiene practices such as washing your hands often with soap and water, using alcohol-based hand sanitizers, and wiping surfaces with a disinfectant spray can prevent the spread of germs and lower the chance of getting infected. These measures can help you stay healthy and safe during cold and flu season.
Combating sneezes and coughs
Upper respiratory tract infections, which are more popularly known as coughs and colds, are a common illness that most people get at some point in their life. Cold and flu viruses can cause these illnesses, which can make it hard to go about our regular lives. But there are a number of things you can do to protect yourself from these infections and deal with their symptoms. By using these methods, you can strengthen your immune system, lower your risk of getting sick, and make coughs and colds less painful. Don’t let these infections hurt your health or get in the way of your work. Take care of your health and protect yourself from the viruses that cause colds and flu.
Use French-style of greeting
Did you know that the French custom of kissing on both cheeks can help keep colds from spreading more than shaking hands? This is because when someone has a cold, they often touch their nose or eyes without realizing it. This makes their fingers dirty. When you shake hands with them, you might catch those viruses. On the other side, it’s much less likely to spread if you kiss someone on both cheeks when you meet them. In fact, it might be safer than being next to someone who continuously sniffles or being in the path of a strong sneeze, as long as you don’t catch any droplets in your eyes or nose. So, the next time you meet someone during cold season, you might want to follow the French way to avoid spreading germs.
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One of the easiest methods to protect yourself from colds and flu is to spend more time outside in the sun. When our skin is under the sun, it makes vitamin D, which is very important for keeping our immune systems healthy. In the northern hemisphere, however, the sun’s rays are powerful enough to make enough vitamin D only from April to September. To make sure you get enough vitamin D all year, take a supplement in the winter and eat lots of vitamin D-rich foods like oily salmon. By doing this, you’ll help boost your immune system and protect yourself from viruses that cause colds and flu. So, don’t let the absence of sunlight in winter make you more likely to get sick. Do something right now to make sure you get adequate vitamin D all year long.
Stay warm
Especially your head and neck might get hurt by winter conditions. By wearing a hat and scarf, you can keep certain regions of your body warm and stop the cold virus from using the cold air to spread. Cold weather not only makes it harder for your body to fight off infections, but it also puts a lot of stress on your immune system. So, it’s important to take further precautions by living a healthy lifestyle and eating a well-balanced, vitamin-rich diet. Regular exercise and hot drinks can also do a lot for your overall health and immune system. By doing five easy yet effective things, you can stay safe and healthy over the winter.
Stay clean to ward off winter bugs
People often think that chilly weather is the reason why they get sick. In truth, the only way to get a cold is to touch the virus directly. But colds tend to spread more in the winter since individuals spend more time inside. This makes it more likely that they will come in close touch with an infected person or surface. To lower the chance of getting the virus, it’s crucial to practice proper hygiene, such washing your hands often and staying away from sick people. You may also help stop the spread of the virus by keeping your living space clean and well-ventilated. By doing these steps, you can lower your chances of getting a cold and stay healthy all winter long:
- To lower your chances of getting a cold, it’s important to stop germs from spreading. One of the best methods to achieve this is to use a disinfectant spray to wipe things like door handles, faucets, shared keyboards, and phone handsets that people touch often. This is especially crucial if you have young children who are more likely to bring cold viruses home from school or nursery. In fact, utilizing a disinfectant spray for just one minute can cut the number of viruses by 99.9%.
- Along with cleaning surfaces, it’s important to wash your hands often and well throughout the day. Surfaces at work, on public transportation, and in other public places are also likely to be dirty. Washing your hands with soap and water is a simple and efficient technique to keep germs at away. If you can’t wash your hands with soap and water, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer can also assist you avoid getting sick. By taking these easy actions, you can stop cold viruses from spreading and stay healthy during cold and flu season.
Exercise your lungs
Research done in the US has revealed that overweight, inactive, postmenopausal women who walk fast for 45 minutes five times a week can cut their chance of getting colds by a lot. In fact, these women were able to cut by two-thirds the amount of colds they got each year. This is an advantage that most people will get if they start working out in this way. Even a brief duration of physical activity can offer the immune system a much-needed boost. This can add up over time and make it less likely that you will get the common cold. Why not make it part of your habit to take a few brisk walks a week and see if you, too, get sick less often?
Maintain good oral hygiene
The correlation between gum infections and chest infections is widely acknowledged. The moist and warm environment of the mouth is a good place for germs that cause serious respiratory infections to grow. When gums get swollen or start to bleed, it can make you more likely to have pneumonia because you might breathe in tiny droplets that have bacteria on them. It’s important to get frequent dental checkups and listen to your dentist’s recommendations if you want to keep your teeth and lungs healthy. By doing this, you can effectively safeguard your teeth and gums and lower your risk of getting a chest infection that might kill you.
Never solely rely on vitamin C
Vitamin C is an important nutrient, but it doesn’t seem to be able to stop the common cold, according to a review of 30 studies by the respected Cochrane Database. The study revealed that, for the majority of people, ingesting vitamin C frequently has no impact on their vulnerability to the common cold, even when ingested in significant levels. But people who do a lot of hard physical exercise, live in very cold places, or are constantly exposed to cold temperatures may see an improvement in their immune systems. For the rest of us, the advice is still that getting enough vitamin C as part of a healthy diet is enough, and we don’t need to rely on it alone to avoid getting sick.
Don’t pass it around, use a tissue
Did you know that sneezing is the body’s way of protecting itself by forcing out viruses and other debris at up to 85% of the speed of sound? On the other hand, this release of up to 40,000 droplets can’t but spread the infection to other people. Unfortunately, many people make the problem worse by trying to hold back a sneeze with their hands. This makes their hands dirty with germs that can be spread through handshakes and surface contact. To keep against transmitting the common cold virus, it’s best to sneeze into a tissue and wash your hands right away afterward. This simple step can go a long way toward keeping you and the people around you from getting the virus and passing it on.
Take flu seriously
Don’t forget how dangerous the flu may be and how important it is to get a flu shot, especially if you are over 65 or have heart disease. This is because the flu virus can create an inflammatory reaction that makes heart attacks and strokes much more likely. People with asthma, diabetes, severe kidney disease, or who have had their spleen removed are also more likely to have complications from the flu. To avoid getting the flu, it’s best to take all the necessary and reasonable steps to protect yourself. This could mean taking a flu shot, washing your hands well, and staying away from those who are sick. By taking these easy but effective steps, you can cut your chances of getting the flu and having serious health problems by a lot.
Use a traditional cold treatment
Next time you find yourself dealing with a cold and cough, consider forgoing the commercial remedy and instead opt for a simple, yet effective home remedy – a hot honey and lemon drink. In addition to being expensive, over-the-counter cough syrup has been shown to be no more efficient than this all-natural substitute. According to research, just a few teaspoons of honey before bed will lessen nighttime coughing and enhance the quality of your sleep. Additionally, you can get a healthy dose of natural vitamin C that will help ease your sore throat by mixing honey with a glass of hot water and lemon juice. This treatment is not only affordable, but it’s also a straightforward way to get rid of symptoms and enhance your general health.
Teatime for people with coughs and colds
People have used traditional medicines for hundreds of years to help with coughs, sore throats, and getting rid of phlegm. People have found that infusions made from dried leaves, flowers, or roots of common plants work just as well as over-the-counter medicines, if not better. If you have a dry cough, you might want to try a traditional drink made from one of the following herbs. Not only are these treatments natural and easy to find, but they have also been used for many years to treat coughs and other respiratory problems. Try them out and see for yourself how nature can help you feel better.
- Licorice
- Mallow or marshmallow.
Both of these treatments are easy to find at health food stores as teabags or loose herbs. Just put them in a cup of boiling water and let them sit for about 10 minutes. It’s that easy! Whether you like the comfort of a teabag or the flexibility of loose herbs, these ancient medicines are easily available and simple to prepare. Give them a try and find out for yourself how well these natural cures work.
Savor some therapeutic chocolate
Good news for people who like chocolate! Chocolate is not simply a tasty pleasure, but it may also be good for your health. Recent research shows that theobromine, which is present in chocolate, is better at suppressing persistent coughs than several over-the-counter cough syrups. This potent medication works by stopping the vagus nerve from doing its job, which is what causes people with lung illness to cough all the time. So the next time you have a cough that won’t go away, try eating a square or two of dark chocolate. It might well do the trick and bring a delicious reprieve to your cough troubles.
Sweat it out
Even while air conditioning may seem like a nice way to cool off in the summer, you shouldn’t turn it up if you have a cold or the flu. Sweating is a natural process that helps get rid of toxins in the body and helps the immune system fight off infections. Even if you’re not sick, try not to spend too much time in places with too much air conditioning. This is especially important if you often go from the hot outside to the cold inside an air-conditioned office or store. This can make you more likely to get any form of infection in your lungs. Keep your body healthy and happy by staying warm and avoiding sudden changes in temperature.
