It’s been three weeks, and I can’t even begin to think about decorating the Christmas tree, because I am too busy trying to kill the germs that won’t leave our house. For the past three weeks, everyone in my family has had some type of sickness. From runny noses to running high temps, nobody has felt good. It seems like I get one person healthy and the next one comes down with it. Today, as my youngest one woke up with a fever again, I searched the net to get some more tips for staying healthy during cold and flu season. If you have any other suggestions, please feel free to comment, so that other readers can benefit.

According to WebMD and Readers Digest.com, the common cold is easy to get over but in some cases it can lead to more serious illnesses such as bronchitis, pneumonia, or the flu. Every year in the United States, over 200,000 people are hospitalized from the flu or its complications. While you can’t avoid germs all the time, there are things you can do to prevent them from infecting you.

From a variety of sources, I have included the top ten tips to prevent a cold.

1. Wash your hands. This is crucial and the simplest way to prevent spreading germs. There has been some debate about hand sanitizers. Keep in mind that it needs to contain 60% alcohol in order to be effective. Experts say that if you can’t use soap and water, hand sanitizer is an excellent alternative.
2. Drink plenty of fluids. Keeping your body hydrated will flush out toxins. Fresh air is also a must, even when it is cold outside, as it often is in the Fargo-Moorhead area. Indoor heating can dry the body out and leave it susceptible to colds.
3. Regular exercise and eating a balanced diet will boost your immune system. Eating yogurt will help reduce vulnerability to colds by 25% and eating plant based foods boosts the vitamins in the body.
4. Excessive drinking and smoking suppress the immune system, so try to avoid these habits as much as possible.
5. Don’t cover your sneezes and coughs with your hands, instead, sneeze into your sleeve. Speaking of sleeves, if I have to touch public door handles or use shopping carts and I don’t have my hand sanitizer with me, I use me sleeve as a barrier for my hands.
6. Use a bleach disinfectant on surfaces to destroy bacteria.
7. If you are at a holiday party, or hosting one, avoid using big bowls for chips, popcorn etc. This is a simple tip to avoid the spread of germs.
8. Get lots of sleep. Your body can’t fight the germs when it is run down.
9. Disinfect tooth brushes. You should clean them or buy new ones periodically throughout the year.
10. Of course, seek medical advice if your cold persists or if you have concerns about the symptoms.

If you have any other tips that would help others or me, please add them to this blog. Stay healthy!

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