Since winter has arrived, cold and flu are a sure thing. Its symptoms, like fever, cough, sore throat, and runny nose, can often be confused with the symptoms of COVID-19. Therefore, it’s always better to be safe than sorry and keep the loved ones around you safe and healthy too.
You should have a reliable lateral flow test like the Healgen antigen test for Covid-19 at home to quickly check the symptoms of coronavirus and take necessary action accordingly.
Just because cold and flu season is inevitable doesn’t mean you can’t keep yourself healthy and reduce your chances of getting sick, so you can enjoy winters to the fullest. Let’s discuss some tips to help you prepare better for cold and flu season.
1. Stock Your Medicine Cabinet
You should replenish your inventory when you’re healthy, as this will be helpful for you when you get sick. You can always ask your doctor or pharmacist for the medicines you should have in your cabinet for cold and flu at all times.
Generally, you would want to keep fever and pain relief medicines, throat lozenges, cough drops, nasal sprays, cough medicines, decongestants, and antihistamines.
In addition to medicines, it would be ideal to have hand sanitizer, tissues, a thermometer, and a humidifier with you, as they will come in handy.
2. Fill the Fridge and Pantry
Of course, when you’re sick with a cold or flu, you don’t have the energy to cook meals and feed your family too. For this, you should stock up on easy-to-make foods for lunch and dinner, so you don’t have to worry about cooking.
You can even purchase foods with long shelf life, like frozen veggies, protein bars, and peanut butter, when grocery shopping.
You also need to nourish yourself with fruit juices enriched with vitamin C to boost your immune system. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water as you don’t want to feel lethargic with a cold or flu. Soothing herbal teas or hot chicken soup can also make you feel better.
3. Practice Proper Handwashing
When you know that cold or flu season is around the corner, you should be extra cautious to prevent catching it in the first place. You should wash your hands with warm water and antibacterial soap properly for 20 seconds.
This will give enough time to kill the cold-causing bacteria.
Furthermore, you must keep your hands away from your face since it can easily help the bacteria to transfer from your hands and enter your system. If you must touch, make sure your hands are clean.
4. Practice Healthy Living Habits
Practicing healthy living habits isn’t only limited to when cold or flu season is approaching. Instead, you should practice them all year round to keep your immune system healthy and strong to fight off viruses and infections.
First off, you should maintain a well-balanced diet. Try to portion all your nutrients, like vitamins, carbs, proteins, fats, and minerals. You must also take care of your water intake.
Exercising regularly significantly helps your immune system as it boosts the circulation of the immune cells, which allows your body to detect a future infection earlier.
A healthy quantity and quality of sleep (around 7 to 8 hours a day) also prevents illnesses, so make sure you implement proper steps that help you sleep better at night, such as a distraction-free environment, good quality bedding, optimal room temperature, and decluttered mind.
5. Clean Household Surfaces
Viruses can linger on surfaces and transmit to a person when they touch those surfaces and their face. No matter who or what made those germs find their way into your house, you can always stay on the safe side by disinfecting surfaces with a state-approved disinfectant.
Remember that cold and flu viruses can live longer on smooth surfaces like plastic, steel, glass, and metal than on porous surfaces like cardboard, wood, and paper.