Temperatures aren’t the only things dropping this season. One day, rain is falling, and the next day, there’s snow. As we bundle up for the cold, we start to see that our immune systems begin to fail on us. It’s unfortunate that we are welcoming this time of the year again: the cold season. At times, it may seem like this cycle is impossible to get out of.
Here are six sick strategies to stay well:
- Check your diet
Having a diet full of antioxidants and vitamins provides you with more energy and a protective wall against free radicals. Consume more fruits and vegetables, and avoid added sugars as these can weaken the body’s natural defense system. Lastly, hot foods can actually act as mucolytics, substances that break up the mucous in your body, enabling clearer breathing.
- Drink more H2O
The flu could leave you dehydrated, so make sure you replenish your body with water. A good indication that you’re drinking enough water is seeing a toilet bowl of clear to pale yellow, almost colorless fluid
- Have some soup
Soup may not miraculously cure you of your sickness, but… On your mark, set, and get your spoons! From chicken noodle soup to egg drop soup to carrot soup, find the best soup that makes you feel less under-the-weather. (If you have a friend who is feeling sick, one of the best things you can do for them is make them soup!)
- Have a cup (or two) of tea
Drinking warm tea will definitely make you feel better. Mix in a bit of antioxidant-rich honey and squeeze in vitamin-C-filled lemon to strengthen its benefits.
- Zinc of a good idea
It turns out that foods loaded with zinc, like oysters, nuts, pumpkin seeds, spinach, and beans, can help shorten the duration of a cold.
- SLEEP Zzzzz
Prior research has shown that sleep keeps the immune system healthy and is vital to the body’s ability to defend itself from many infections and diseases. Now you have a legitimate excuse to sleep all day more.
Having flu symptoms can make your life so miserable, so I hope that these tips can help to alleviate some of them. Feel better soon!