Coping with Flu and Cold Season[/caption] Sniff. Cough. Sneeze! These are sounds we hear all too often during flu and cold season, especially when little ones come home from school and share their newfound germy friends with the entire family. Here are a few tips and tricks for maneuvering around flu season: Wash your hands frequently.. This simple preventative tool can make all the difference in the number of germs you pick up and spread. Its all in the hands. Keep those hands away from your face, eyes, nose, and mouth, where the germs enter, and within a week or less, create havoc. Stay home when youre sick. Nothing says love and devotion like staying away when youre contagious. Sick days were created to be used in times like these. If you are feverish, sweating, coughing and contagious, quarantine yourself with some soup, water, and perhaps something binge worthy on Netflix. Your loved ones will thank you. Practice coughing and sneezing etiquette. Many cases of flu and viruses are spread through infected individuals who cough into their hands and then touch common areas like door handles. If you are sick, keep tissues handy and then dispose of them in an enclosed waste receptacle. Practice the 3 Rs: Rest, Rehydrate and Refuel. Getting adequate rest, drinking plenty of water and eating the right foods is the best defense against flu and colds. Give your natural immune system the fighting chance it needs with healthy habits. Consult with your physician about getting a flu vaccination. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that influenza has resulted in between 9.2 million and 60.8 million illnesses, between 140,000 and 710,000 hospitalizations and between 12,000 and 56,000 deaths annually since 2010. For more information on influenza vaccinations, consult your physician and visit the CDC website. Eat some chicken soup. Perhaps your grandmother was on to something about chicken soup as the best remedy for a cold. Studies and opinions vary, but the bottom line is, we dont know anyone whos ever complained that chicken soup made them feel worse. To a healthy, happy, you, in every season! -The Weidner Team
