6 Preventive Ways to Deal with Seasonal Change

Changing seasons can mean a lot more than just needing to wear a jacket or taking it off. Season change can be exciting, tiresome and even sometimes emotional. Season change affects lifestyle & health in several ways. It brings out cough, cold, flu and other infectious diseases. This happens mainly when summer sets in gradually after winter and when summer turns to winter.

With the parting of winter and commencement of summer here are some health tips on how to avoid sickness during seasonal change and deal with it like a master:

1. Wash Your Hands
Your hands are major source of infection. Your hands are exposed to a plethora of germs as a result of the multiple surfaces you come in contact with during the day. If you put your hands near your mouth, eyes and ears, you are paving the way for germs and viruses to make their way into your body. Thus, wash your hands properly, especially before eating, as it is one of the best ways to prevent getting sick. If you are not always near a sink, alcohol based hand sanitizer is your best option.

2. Upgrade your Nutrition intake:
With seasonal change our body needs some special nutrition to survive. Ensure intake of adequate nutrition. Increase your intake of vitamin C-rich foods. Some food items that are rich in vitamin C include guava, red sweet pepper, orange, and grapefruit, strawberry, broccoli etc. Consume foods high in zinc to fight infections like green veggies, whole grain, almond, cashew nuts, chicken, eggs, dairy products, whole grain, potatoes, and dark chocolate etc. Apart from these, drink hot soup to clear out your clogged airways, plus this nourishing broth can provide nutrition, prevent dehydration and replace lost salt from the body, keeping the body warm from within.

3. Get a Flu Vaccine
One of the most important and effective preventive method is getting a flu vaccine before the seasonal change. Being vaccinated for the flu will not only decrease your chance of getting the flu this year, but it will also help those around you avoid the flu as well. The flu is most often spread via contact with someone who is already ill. Therefore, the more of us who are immunized, the less likelihood there will be for us to spread the virus to others.

4. Gargling:
Gargling lukewarm water helps you in preventing upper respiratory illness. This may a very simple way to wash out the bacteria that might be lingering in your mouth and throat. Tap water is recommended due to the small amount of chlorine that may ward off the germs. It is recommended to keep swooshing the tap water around your mouth for 60 seconds and spitting it out.

5. Stay Active
Exercise is not only a great way to stay in shape but it actually may help prevent you from getting sick. Engaging yourself 45 minutes in moderate to high intensity exercise regularly exercise makes you capable of fighting off upper respiratory illnesses.

6. Sleep More
A perfect good night sleep acts as the cherry on top in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It is important to make sure you keep a regular sleep schedule in order to avoid getting sick. Sleep habits and duration have a direct influence on both mental and physical health. Sleeping less than 7 hours per night can make susceptible to catching cold and flu by degrading your immune system.