It’s not just
winter that has returned, it’s also the flu. While everyone is found sneezing, coughing and covering their mouths with handkerchiefs at the doctor’s office, ever wondered how the doctor himself manages to beat the cold and flu?
Here are some of the simplest precautions the doctors follow to stop getting sick.
Wash your hands before and after touching any objects
We don’t want you to get OCD, but this simple tip certainly helps those who keep getting colds. Doctors always wash their hands before and after examining their patient to prevent themselves from getting exposed to germs. If you think you have touched any objects like your cellphone, handles, bathroom knobs etc., you need to be careful as you are sure to carry germs.
Doctors advise washing your hands regularly with warm soap and water. It is the rubbing technique that is more useful than the soap you’re using. Wash your hands for at least 20-30 seconds. If you cannot keep the time, sing ‘Happy Birthday’ in your head. Also, keep an alcohol based sanitizer handy. Always wash your hands after you visit the bathroom and before you touch any food -be it for cooking or eating.
ExerciseOne of the best ways to prevent the flu is to get some exercise like a jog or a walk before you head out to work. Getting your heart pumping helps to
strengthen the immune system. If you are already sick, you can still go ahead with 20 to 30 minutes of cardio, but if you have a temperature of 100 degrees along with chills and cough, stay indoors until your symptoms get better.
Include probiotics
The gut is a very important barrier between the outside and inside world. This barrier is made of healthy bacteria that prevent any infections from harming your body by ingesting them. So stock on fermented products like probiotic yoghurt, kimchee (fermented vegetables), kombucha (fermented tea) which can be found easily in any supermarket.
Stay away from sugar
One of the ways to prevent the flu is to avoid anything sweet and sugary. Skip those orange candies, resist gorging on chocolate bars this season if you want to stop falling sick. It is said that taking excess sugar inhibits the action of the white blood cells to ingest the bacteria.
Avoid drinking
Think twice before downing another glass of that lovely Chardonnay for dinner. Excess amounts of alcohol suppresses the immune system by increasing the duration of the virus by a few days as the white blood cells do not engulf the bacteria under the influence of alcohol. So hold on to your drinks longer this festive season.
