How do you avoid getting the flu
Staying Healthy and Flu-Free: Proven Tips and Practices to Prevent the Flu and Boost Your Immune System
When flu season is in full swing, many of us are asking ourselves how to avoid getting the dreaded virus. According to estimates from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2017-2018 more than 45 million people got sick with the influenza virus infection, resulting in over 600 thousand hospitalizations across America alone. However, if you take a few simple steps it’s possible to prevent catching or spreading the influenza virus.
First off, one of your best defenses against any illness including colds and flus is good hygiene practices, such as regularly washing your hands for at least 20 seconds with warm water and soap. It's particularly important that when you're out shopping or around other people that may be carrying germs on their hands (yes even those wearing gloves) to always use hand sanitizer after touching items like elevator buttons or door knobs, etc., which can harbor viruses. This is especially important to do before eating food.
When hands are washed thoroughly, this simple act helps remove potentially infectious microbes from your skin and introduces them into a less hospitable environment where they will die out due to their inability to survive outside living cells – thus decreasing potential transmission between individuals who touch each other while in close contact.
Washing your hands is one of the easiest and most effective ways to avoid getting the flu. The influenza virus can spread quickly, so it’s important to take precautions in order to decrease our chances of catching it or spreading it further.
If you don’t have access to a sink, hand sanitizer may also help. Make sure that its alcohol-based formula contains 60-95% ethanol/isopropanol content for effectiveness against germs like viruses such as H1N1 (which causes seasonal influenza infections)!
Washing your hands regularly won't guarantee you'll never get infected with anything harmful but engaging in good hygienic practices definitely reduces risks significantly over time – making prevention far easier compared to what not washing your hands would entail down the line.
Second – get an annual flu shot, especially if you have certain medical conditions. Encourage your family members and friends who haven't been vaccinated yet to do so as well – they could unknowingly spread the sickness without showing symptoms themselves until several days later – and by that point, who knows how much they’ve spread the virus around.
Influenza can cause serious symptoms like fever, chills, body aches as well as chest pain or difficulty breathing; it sometimes leads to death – especially among high risk groups such as older adults aged 65+ years old or young children under 5 years old. The illness may be milder if you get vaccinated but even when that’s not possible, receiving a dose of the vaccine after you’ve come down with the flu will lessen its severity by reducing fatigue levels. Furthermore, prevention measures help reduce pressure on hospitals that can be overwhelmed during peak times, since more severe cases require medical attention at short notice. With so many patients all at once, risk of reaching capacity at a hospital can be dramatically increased and stretch healthcare practitioners too thin, increasing the average wait time per person, and significantly impacting the decision making process while treating patients.
Despite rumors regarding dangers potentially linked to vaccinations, the fact remains that the consequences of getting sick outweigh the benefits of immunizing the population on a large scale basis. While yes, there are some side effects, instances of these side effects are extremely rare. Flu shots usually contain inactive versions of viruses, meaning that what’s being injected cannot cause actual harm itself. However, a certain amount of discomfort experienced at the injection site could possibly arise due to a reaction to the substances used to create the drug. This is why it’s always recommended that you consult your physician prior to going through with the procedure in case allergies exist.
Thirdly, try maintaining healthy habits. Eat balanced meals high in vitamins C and D – these two work together synergistically, helping boost immunity power levels while reducing inflammation throughout body systems. Make sure to exercise daily (even just brisk walking 30 minutes per day), drink plenty of fluids and limit your processed sugars intake. Processed sugar causes spikes in your glucose level followed quickly afterwards by a slump in the energy reserves needed to fight infection effectively in the long run. Finally, make sure to get enough sleep every night to help recharge your bodies' natural defenses.
The flu is a virus that can be dangerous to your health and wellbeing, so it’s important to take steps to protect against getting the sickness. One way you can do this is by eating foods rich in vitamins or taking vitamin supplements as part of your daily routine. Here are some reasons why having enough dietary vitamins might help prevent the spread of influenza:
1) Vitamins boost immunity – When your body has an adequate supply of essential nutrients like Vitamin C, E and B6, it increases its ability to fight off illnesses naturally – this includes colds and flus. Having sufficient amounts may also reduce inflammation throughout our bodies which helps us heal faster if we fall ill.
2) They act as antioxidants – Antioxidants found in certain fruits like blueberries have been known for their disease-fighting properties when consumed on a regular basis, because they contain phytochemicals which work alongside other nutrients from nature such as minerals and enzymes. This combination protects cells from oxidative stress caused by environmental toxins while boosting our antioxidant capacity overall, making us more resistant towards contracting infections too!
3) Provide energy and stamina – The right balance between carbohydrates, proteins, fats, plus lots of vitamins will give your body long lasting energy sources. This helps to keep you active and alert during the day instead of being exhausted all the time due to poor nutrition habits, thus lessening chances of catching any infectious agents such as viruses or bacterias.
Eating a healthy diet filled with fresh fruit, veggies, lean meat, fish nuts, grains, legumes,and good doses of appropriate vitamins not only helps you avoid coming down with the flu but also provides numerous health benefits overall.