12/21/2024
Our annual PSA:
Cold and Flu Season
One of the big topics of discussion these past couple of weeks has been about how to avoid the flu and colds as we enter the “Cold and Flu Season”. Many of my clients are struggling with decisions about whether or not to vaccinate for the flu. Whatever choices you make about vaccination there are some common sense steps you can take to reduce your risk of getting colds and flu that are low-risk and low-cost.
First a little about how these nasty bugs make you sick. I always think it helps to go back and review how these things work. Generally these viruses get into our bodies via our mucus membranes (nose and mouth.) We touch something contaminated with the virus and then touch our nose or mouth and transfer the virus to our body. Of course we don’t immediately get sick, the virus needs the time and conditions to multiply before it can reach a level of making us sick. Generally it is going to take 2 to 4 days to make us sick (that means we have time to deal with most of what we get exposed to if we know what to do!) Also, our near desert levels of humidity in the winter here in the Northland favor the viruses.
Our body has some pretty amazing ways of fighting these things off: if we are adequately hydrated those mucus membranes can work pretty well at protecting us. In addition, our body will create a fever to make the environment too hot for the virus to multiply (YES, a fever can be a good thing.) And our immune system can mount a defense to contain and eliminate the virus
Work with body’s own defense mechanisms:
• Wash hands often and avoid touching your face (to avoid transfer in the first place)
• Drink hot beverages (increased temperature in the mouth and throat to kill virus)
• Gargle with hot salt water (washes away virus and increase temperature to kill it)
• Use a neti pot (to wash away the virus and hydrate the mucus membranes in your nose and sinuses)
• Use a humidifier (keep the mucus membranes working at their best)
• Avoid/minimize sugar and alcohol (to avoid short circuiting your immune system)
As always it helps to take your vitamins (Vit D, Vit C, and probiotics in particular). And of course get enough rest and exercise.
Getting in the habit of doing these things throughout the cold and flu season can significantly improve our chances of making it through healthy.
• Rest
• Exercise
• Eat well
• Avoid sugar/alcohol
• Wash Hands
• Avoid touching face (nose, mouth, eyes)
• Humidify/Hydrate
If you seem to be fighting a bug
• Completely avoid sugar
• “Magic Socks” at bedtime
• REST
• You can add a drop of goldenseal tincture to your neti pot
Enjoy your Holiday’s and stay healthy!
