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Natural Ways to Prevent the Flu and Cold This Winter

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October 18, 2018

It’s time to get ready for cold and flu season with these natural ways to prevent the flu. The way to avoid getting sick is to enforce good health habits. You can stop the spread of illnesses like the cold and flu by protecting your family with these simple health tips.

  • Remember to wash your hands regularly. You don’t need any special antibacterial soap when you wash. Regular bar soap works just fine. If you’re away from home and don’t have access to soap and water, an antibacterial hand cleaner works well too. Studies have shown that there is no significant difference in using regular soap versus antibacterial soap.
  • Use your sleeve or a tissue to cover your mouth when you sneeze rather than using your hand. This will help prevent the transfer of sickness when you use your hand to open a door or shake hands. Then, just throw the used tissue into the garbage.
  • Keep your hands away from your nose, eyes, and mouth. It’s easy to spread germs that way when you touch something that has been contaminated. Plus, you will prevent the spread of disease to someone else if you have a cold or flu.
  • Talk to your children about healthy habits. Keep them home if they are sick so they don’t spread the flu to others in their classroom. Make sure they understand that they can spread illnesses by using someone else’s cup or by putting pens or toys in their mouth.
  • Take care of your immune system by getting plenty of rest and eating healthy foods. Keeping your immune system in tip-top shape will mean that it’s more likely to avoid getting sick in the first place. At the very least, you will be more likely to recover quickly.
  • Eat foods that help fight germs. Certain foods can help boost your immune system and fight off bacteria and viruses. Green tea contains antioxidants that help reduce the risk for several illnesses. Garlic and ginger have been used for centuries to help fight infection. You can easily add either or both to a cup of boiling water for an immune boosting tea. Adding extra Vitamin C to your diet can also help improve your immune system. Try a glass of orange, guava, or cranberry juice.
  • Studies have shown that using zinc lozenges might help reduce the duration and severity of colds and flu when you do get sick.  You should talk to your medical provider to see if these are recommended in your case. If so, they can be purchased over the counter at many drug stores and retailers.

What natural ways to keep your family healthy do you use?

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