As fall comes to an end and we enter the winter season, we can see the shift in temperature dropping. With this in mind it’s essential to know how to properly take care of your body to help protect your immune system so it can be healthy during these chilly months.
The flu season occurs most often around winter. Symptoms of flu that are the most commonly found include fever, coughing, sore throat, and runny and or stuffy nose according to the CDC. The best way to recover from a flu is to stay home, rest, and have warm or room temperature water – as staying hydrated is essential for your recovery.
Having good hygiene can benefit you and others around you to prevent the spread of germs. Coughing and runny nose can mostly be seen during the winter season. Always remember to cover your cough with your sleeve or elbow to help reduce the number of germ spreading.
After blowing your nose a good way to stop germ from spreading is washing your hands with soap or hand sanitizer.
Staying hydrated can help heat up your body during those freezing temperatures. Drinking water stimulates the blood flow into our digestive system, which causes an increase in skin temperature as the blood vessels expand reported by the National Institutions of Health.
It’s also essential to have a good skin care routine as reported by Reid Health: “Colder climates stealing moisture from skin every second of every day.” This is the main reason why our skin becomes so dry, causing it to flake and itch which make it prone to cracking and bleeding.
Remember to get your annual Influenza shot.
This goes the same with your lips, but since the skin on your lips is thinner than the rest of your body, it is the most fragile and could be easily dried out, which could lead to bleeding. That’s why it’s always good to have vaseline with you at all times so you can keep your lips moisturized without worrying about unnecessary pain.
Getting vaccinated annually can help prevent you from getting the flu and also help prevent the spread of the flu. Annual flu shots are free for students, and King County has a list of dates where you can get a flu shot.
Pharmacies like Walgreens, Rite Aid, and CVS provide free walk-in or scheduled flu shots, which leads us to maybe the most important of health messages this winter: Take advantage of the free deals and opportunities afforded by the community, it is how we look out for each other during the holidays and beyond. Stay safe!