It’s that time of year. The season of stuffy noses, sore throats, head colds, and the flu has arrived and it’s ready to hit us all full force.
It’s also that time of year when we are typically the busiest. Let’s be real – We have busy lives and have no time to be sick.
There are many little tricks to help keep us healthy and tackle gross colds and flus head on – but, let’s not overwhelm ourselves and go in total health-freak mode…
Here is a handful of the easiest and most effective tricks for you to put into practice starting right now.
Good Hygiene
This one should be a no-brainer, but it really is one of the most important. Washing your hands often throughout the day is critical. When you’re at work, when you get back from the grocery store, after pumping gas, handling cash, and basically after being anywhere out in public.
Keep a hand sanitizer in your vehicle to kill the germs and potential viruses when you’re out and about.
Drink More Water
Maybe you already think you drink enough water – challenge yourself and drink more. Not only does water help to flush out toxins and cleanse our body system, but it also carries essential nutrients to our body cells.
Check out my post Hydration IS Happiness for more info on why staying hydrated can literally change your life and make you happier and healthier than you’ve ever been. Plus, cheats on how to follow through and make drinking more water the simplest habit.
Vitamin D
If you’re luckier than I am, you live in a place where the sun still often shines in the winter. I however am from Wisconsin, where during the winter months, gray and white snowy skies are all I get on a daily basis.
If you can, get out and enjoy sunshine whenever you can. Vitamin D is essential for our immune system. Aside from being a physical savior for our bodies, Vitamin D can help keep our mental in check during what is usually the most stressful and depressing time of the year. Vitamin D is actually required to regulate our mood.
Not able to see the sunshine as often as you’d like? There are Vitamin D nutritional supplements that can be taken daily to make sure you are getting enough Vitamin D that your body and mind need to help keep you healthy and happy.
Sleep
This is my favorite because I love any excuse for me to take a little power nap during the day or hit the hay early. Sleep is a non-negotiable for staying healthy; studies prove that those who do not get enough rest catch more illnesses and viruses. Bonus: Not only does sleep keep your immune system healthy, sleeping also burns calories and eliminates stress hormones.
Exercise
I’ve shared with you my most favorite trick, I might as well share my least favorite.
I’ll be honest, I definitely don’t love exercise. I wish I was a gym rat lol. But there are simpler ways to stay active that I actually do enjoy… exercises such as yoga on my living room floor, jumping jacks and squats while I binge my favorite TV show, and a walk around the block are all things that help to boost my immune system from winter sicknesses.
There you have it – a handful of simple tricks to help keep seasonal colds and flus away during these next few months.
If you haven’t already, I really recommend checking out Hydration IS Happiness to quite literally change your life with the easiest and healthiest habit you can form for yourself.
That’s all for now. Stay warm and healthy my friends!
