It’s that time of year: midterms are kicking in, the weather is changing, and you’re finding yourself having the chills in a heated room because you’ve been the unfortunate recipient of one of the season’s worst gifts – a cold.
Fortunately, there are a few quick tips to avoid suffering this season.
1. Stay hydrated
It sounds simple, but drinking water helps to wash germs and viruses out of your immune system. If you don’t necessarily like the taste or want to add some extra nutrients, tossing in a lemon or two helps loosen up stuffiness and congestion, and it’s high in vitamin c.
2. Keep your hands to yourself
One of the most common ways that people catch colds and flus is by rubbing their eyes after a virus has gotten onto their hands. These viruses are transferred by anything your hands do – shaking hands, holding hands, and sneezing into your hands. Luckily, there’s a pretty simple fix to this problem – wash your hands and then keep them to yourself!
3. Get some rest
Your body doesn’t fight as hard when it’s tired, so getting 8-10 hours a night makes a huge difference for your body’s health. Even if it means going to bed early the night before a test, your body will thank you for giving it some time to fight back.
4. Work out regularly
Working out regularly enhances immune function, and it helps you feel better in so many ways – so just do it! Your body, mind, and spirit will all be grateful.
5. Watch your diet
It may sometimes be hard in college to eat a completely balanced diet, but it is worth it. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables helps to boost your immune system – so get a head start on that war before it even becomes a battle.(photo courtesy of www.foodiesfeed.com, by Jakub Kapusnak)
While these fixes may seem trivial, they go a long way in ensuring that you don’t spend your crunch-week wrapped up in bed feeling under the weather!