AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION
Get proactive with your health this cold & flu season
Nothing brings your week to a halt like the coughing, sniffling, aches and pains that come with a cold or flu. Here are some ways you can help protect yourself so you’re enjoying the season instead of nursing a seasonal sickness:
GET VACCINATED
Up to 20 per cent of the population gets the flu each year. Getting vaccinated is the best way to help keep influenza from interrupting your life. People at higher risk of complications from the flu — including young children, the elderly and those with chronic medical conditions — are especially encouraged to get vaccinated, as are their caregivers. To learn more about the flu shot, visit your Shoppers Drug Mart Pharmacist or go to shoppersdrugmart.ca/flushot.
WASH UP
Fact: that shopping cart or doorknob you just touched could have germs that lead to a cold or flu. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, human influenza viruses generally can survive on surfaces between two and eight hours, and touching them to your eyes, nose or mouth can make you sick. To make sure your hands are properly clean, rub them with soap and warm water for 15 to 20 seconds. If you aren’t near a sink, have a hand sanitizer handy.
GET SOME REST
One of the best ways to help you ward off illness is to get enough sleep. Getting at least seven hours of sleep a night helps you control the hormone cortisol, which is responsible for regulating your immune system.
One study found that people who get less than seven hours of sleep a night are three times more likely to catch a cold. Some ways to help you fall asleep include avoiding rich meals right before bed, not drinking too many liquids before going to sleep and maintaining a regular sleep schedule.
A SOLID D
Living in a northern climate means we may be deprived of the vitamin D our immune system needs to function properly. Foods like milk and salmon are loaded with vitamin D, and you can supplement your diet with a multivitamin to help your body store the D it needs to help you stay healthy this season.