Content

• Steps
• Advice

Flu, with typical symptoms of muscle aches, fatigue, fever, chills, can make you miserable. Depending on the severity of the strain, the flu can even be fatal. When you get sick, there are very few ways that can help reduce symptoms and shorten the life of the virus. Therefore, the best treatment is prevention. Preventing colds and flu can be difficult because you have to be on the lookout and watch out during the cold and flu season.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Avoid contact with germs that cause flu

1. 

   Wash your hands often. This is the easiest way to prevent the flu from getting sick. Wash your hands with warm water and soap often to get rid of germs. Warm water and soap are especially effective if you wash your hands frequently throughout the day.
   • Hand sanitizers are not as effective as regular soap and water, but you can use them if soap and water is not available.
   • Wash hands before and after eating, before and after preparing food, after touching trash, after shaking hands or touching other people, and after returning home from public places. Also, wash your hands after sneezing (even if just sneezing into your arm or elbow), after touching animals, changing diapers or taking your baby to the toilet.

2. 

   
   
   Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. The quickest way for viruses and bacteria to enter the body is through hands to eyes, nose, or mouth. Therefore, you should try to avoid touching these areas (unless you recently washed your hands) during the cold and flu season.
   • The habit of nail biting facilitates infection with influenza viruses. Viruses and other germs can lurk under the nail even after washing your hands.

3. 

   
   
   Limit close contact with sick people. Because it is difficult to avoid contact with the sick person completely, you should try to limit your exposure to reduce the risk of infection.
   • Even if the sick person doesn't have the flu and has another illness, it's best to avoid being around. If you have another virus, your immune system will weaken, making it difficult for your body to fight off the flu virus once you are exposed.

4. 

   
   
   Use an antiseptic. The flu virus can get on surfaces, so it's important to disinfect surfaces in your home or office that can carry germs. This step is especially important if someone in the home or office has recently had a cold. If you work in a public area, disinfecting public surfaces like doorknobs and handrails can help reduce your exposure to germs.
   • This step is easy to do at home, but it will be more difficult in public. You should bring sterile paper towels and hand sanitizer with you when going out.

5. 

   Consider getting a flu shot. Pregnant women, young children, people with chronic illnesses that can affect the respiratory system, and the elderly are especially encouraged to get the flu vaccine. Flu viruses are constantly changing. The seasonal flu vaccine is formulated to protect against whatever virus strains will be most active that season.
   • The ideal time to get the vaccine is as soon as it becomes available in the early to mid autumn. Even so, getting vaccinated late can still help.
   • If you don't want to get vaccinated or are afraid of the syringe, you can use the nasal spray flu vaccine.
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Part 2 of 3: Maintaining a healthy lifestyle

1. 

   Get enough sleep. You should sleep about 7-9 hours a day to maintain optimal health. The more rest, the stronger the immune system.
   • Lack of sleep can cause the body to produce more cytokines. These proteins cause cold or flu symptoms.

2. 

   Reduce stress. Stress (physical and mental) can negatively impact the body and weaken the immune system. Research shows that reducing your stress levels can help you stay healthy for longer.
   • Consider taking a few minutes a day to clear your mind, practice meditation or yoga. Meditation can help ease anxiety and fear.
   • In addition, you should find ways to relieve stress in the work of the same boss; Remember that health is very important and you should ask for help if needed.

3. 

   Quit smoking. You should quit smoking habit (if any). Smoking reduces breathing, causes dehydration and weakens the immune system.
   • Smoking also destroys the cilia in the nose. These hairs are the body's first line of defense against invading germs. The less amount of cilia makes it easier for the flu virus to enter the body.

4. 

   Walk, jog or briskly at least 3 times per week. Exercise is a good habit to maintain youth and health. Regular exercise has been shown to help fight infections, including flu viruses. Exercise also produces many white blood cells - cells that prevent and fight disease. Physical activity not only helps to eliminate toxins from sweat but also improves circulation, facilitating nutrients to be absorbed by the body more easily ..
   • In particular, walking or jogging are highly effective forms of exercise that you can do anywhere, just prepare yourself a pair of shoes.
   • Walk, run, run briskly, or do cardio for at least 30 minutes, 3 times per week. Exercise every day is ideal.

5. 

   Yoga. This is a great way to both exercise and clear your mind. Yoga is known to have a calming effect on the nervous system, thereby helping to reduce stress significantly, while also lubricating the joints and strengthening the central muscles. When the stress level is low, the immune system is healthier and is more resistant to disease.

6. 

   Swimming. Thanks to the indoor pools you can swim all year round. Regular swimming is good for the joints because the water helps to ease the impact. Like other forms of exercise, swimming boosts the immune system to avoid catching the flu.
   • If you want to further strengthen the immune system, you should swim in cold water. Cold water forces the body to adapt to changes in temperature, thereby increasing red blood cells and other internal changes for the immune system to work more effectively.
   • Always remember to moisturize your skin and scalp after swimming to reduce the effects of chlorine drying on your skin.
   • Maintain a swimming routine during the summer, even if it's not the flu season. Staying in an exercise routine has many health benefits.
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Part 3 of 3: Building healthy eating habits

1. 

   Drink a lot of water. To stay hydrated, men should drink 13 glasses of water, women should drink 9 glasses of water (240 ml each) per day. Water supplies the blood with oxygen and helps to flush out toxins. When toxins accumulate, the immune system weakens. Drinking plenty of water every day will help flush out harmful toxins ..
   • Drinking plenty of fluids does not help get rid of the flu virus but will keep your body hydrated, especially if you have diarrhea, vomiting and fever when your body needs it most.
   • It is very simple to drink enough water. In the morning, you just fill a large bottle with water and drink it throughout the day. Fill the bottle with more water if needed.

2. 

   Avoid alcoholic beverages. Alcohol is not good for the body. Alcohol causes dehydration, weakens the immune system, makes it difficult for the body to fight off disease. In fact, in addition to cirrhosis, alcoholic drinkers are susceptible to many other diseases.
   • If you can't quit completely, limit your alcohol intake to at least 3 servings per day.
   • Despite being liquid, alcoholic beverages cause dehydration and deprive the body of important nutrients.
   • Replace heavy alcoholic beverages like Vodka or Gin with red wine.

3. 

   Don't drink soft drinks like soda. In the 1970s, sugar became known as the "white death" because research shows that it leads to premature aging and weakens the immune system. Therefore, you should avoid consuming soda and fruit juices that contain sweeteners. If you can't avoid it, limit your daily intake.
   • Avoid consuming both diet soda and fruit juices containing artificial sweeteners.
   • Drink fresh fruit juices and non-sweetened teas if you don't want to drink water.
   • If you like flavored drinks, you can try teas that do not contain any sweeteners, especially green tea and black tea, as they are rich in antioxidants.

4. 

   Eat lots of colorful fruits and vegetables. There is a saying in the West: "Eat an apple a day so you don't have to see a doctor." And apples are not the only healthy foods. Imagine, if you add a variety of vegetables and fruits to your diet every day, how many nutrients will you get to enhance your ability to fight disease.
   • Add dark green leafy vegetables like spinach (spinach) and kale to your daily diet.
   • Choose vegetables with many colors. This is the best way to get all the vitamins and nutrients your body needs to fight disease.

5. 

   Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids have antioxidant properties, so foods and supplements with high levels of omega-3 will help strengthen the immune system's ability to fight free radicals.
   • You can get your body omega-3 by taking a fish oil capsule every day or by eating a variety of fish, seeds, and beans.
   • To increase your omega-3 intake, you can add 10 to 15 drops of the planktonic seaweed in filtered water or fruit juice. This is a fish's source of omega-3, so supplementing with this algae will help provide a more concentrated, direct dose of omega-3 with many health benefits.

6. 

   Add raw garlic to your diet. Garlic has antiviral, antibiotic and antifungal properties.
   • It is recommended to eat 1-2 servings of raw garlic per day to maximize the benefits of garlic.
   • To reduce the effect of garlic on breathing, you can cut 1-2 cloves of garlic into small pieces and swallow with water or tea. Chew an extra stalk of parsley right after eating the garlic to reduce the garlic smell.
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Advice

• If you have taken all precautions and still have the flu, you should remind everyone around you to help prevent them from getting sick. Stay home with flu, stay hydrated, cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. Control the flu with over-the-counter medications like Tylenol and ibuprofen, get enough rest, and drink enough fluids.