1. Get the flu shot – this is the first year that the US is recommending that everyone 6 months or older gets a flu shot. For those who know they always get bad flu or for those who would be in bad shape if they got flu, the shot is still a good idea.
2. Eat Well – Food fuels the body. It either strengthens your immune system and your body’s ability to function or it weakens it.
3. Exercise – Depending on where you live, winter can be a time where you just want to hibernate and do nothing physical until the sun comes out again. This is not the right approach! No matter how hard it is, you need to maintain a good exercise regime during the winter. This keeps your immune cells stimulated, particularly the ones that target infections.
4. Stay hydrated - This means staying hydrated both inside and out. If your nose tends to get dry, or if you know you’re going to be somewhere super dry, use a saline nasal spray to keep things moist. The hair lining your nasal passages work better at keeping things out of your system when hydrated. Also, humidity kills viruses, so if you live somewhere where there is little or no humidity, get a humidifier for your house. Health magazine suggests keeping the humidity at about 50% and temperatures at 69 degrees F at a minimum. Also, drink water! You should be doing this all year round anyway.
5. Get Sleep – Anytime your body is sleep-deprived, your immune system will not be working at 100% capacity.
6. Wash your hands – This is a fairly obvious tip, but it needs to be here. Many people are better now about washing hands and using anti-bacterial hand sanitizers. Beyond this, also make sure to be aware if there are lots of sneezing or coughing people near you, try to move away. If that isn’t possible, at least try to turn away from them. Also, try not to touch your face a lot (this is a hard one for me.)
There are numerous things that increase in prevalence during the winter months. Unfortunately, HEAD LICE is one of these dreaded things. There are numerous indicators that your child may have head lice. But, the most obvious sign is a child that can't stop scratching their little head. Please reference the link below for information about head lice and how to prevent, treat, and avoid it.
