5 Ways to Prevent the Spread of Flu & Colds
Disclosure: This post on how to prevent the spread of flu has been sponsored by Loblaw. As always, all opinions are my own.
We had an unhappy boy at our house this past weekend. We were in Calgary for the weekend but he couldn't go and visit his friends because he had a cold. Even though he was disappointed, we knew that staying home was the best bet to prevent the spread of flu and colds. Thankfully, this was just a cold but I am making sure that he understands that when in doubt, stay at home.
So, what are the best ways to prevent the spread of flu and colds?
- Maintain a healthy diet - While this advice is important any time of year, it is vital during flu season. Your body needs to be working at its best to fight off infection. Not sure what you should be eating? Make an appointment with one of the in-store dietitians at Loblaws City Market. You can also read my interview with an in-store dietitian last flu season.
- Get your flu shot! - Your number one way to avoid the flu is to get your flu shot. Depending on how well the vaccine is matched to this year’s common viruses, 70-90 per cent of flu cases can be averted through vaccination. Thankfully, you can pop into the pharmacy at any Real Canadian Superstore or Loblaws City Market to get a shot without an appointment!
- Know when to stay home - At our house, we stay home as much as possible with any new cold or flu symptoms. With the flu, you will likely run a fever. Stay home if your temperature passes 100 degrees. Remember you should be fever-free for at least 24 hours before returning to work or school.
- Keep your body strong - Your body needs certain things to stay healthy. Adequate rest (7-8 hours of sleep per night....turn off the Netflix!), plenty of fluids (at least 8 glasses of water per day), a healthy diet and an active lifestyle (walking is a great option).
- Wash your hands - Make hand washing a habit all day, every day. Germs thrive on hard surfaces, especially at school and work. Washing your hands keeps you from passing those germs to your nose, mouth and eyes which are prime gateways for germs and viruses.
Don't forget to read my 7 Flu Prevention Tips for Fall and 7 Healthy Recipes to Boost Your Vitamins and Minerals to Fight the Flu.
Relax with a cup of lemon tea, please stay away from other people .
Work places should consider sending people home and not penalize them if they are sick. Thank you for the tips!
My family stays healthy during flu season by always washing our hands and not touching our faces.
we take a daily vitamin, drink lots of water, bundle up and get a decent amount of rest. oh and lots of liquids
Frequent hand washing, flu shots (of course) and dressing appropriately for the weather. 🙂
We get the flu shot and take extra vit. C&D.
We take vitamins daily and wash our hands consistently.
We take our daily vitamins, eat wholesome meals and I stock up on pickled garlic since we love garlic and anything pickled.
We are trying to stay on a good sleep routine and get daily exercise but unfortunately I am sick already.
We drink lots of water, stay active and get lots of sleep....so far so good. 🙂
We all get flu shots.......eat well, wash hands, and get lots of sleep!
good hand-washing for sure. thanks
plenty of rest, good fresh food, and fluids.
We treat the season as a bit of hibernation - plenty of sleep/rest, staying away from crowds and sick people when possible, The diet is heavy on fresh fruits, vegetables, and water. Of course, washing hands is paramount. And keeping hands away from the nose and mouth.
Good hand hygiene is my first defence
We take Vitamin C every day and get the flu shot every year to protect ourselves.
We take the regular precautions such as handwashing, Eating healthy, taking vitamins. But I also am aware not to go near sick people if I can, I tend to avoid handles, sanitize shopping carts ect during the peak of flu season. I work in long term care and sadly if we get sick it spread through our senior community so fast and within a week we have dozens and dozens sick so I am very aware of germs 🙂
We try to get plenty of rest and stay hydrated as well as taking extra vitamin C.
We wash our hands, get the flu shot, we spend time getting exercise and eating right.
We wash our hands throughout the day and use hand sanitiser. We also get the flu shot and take vitamins.