When you work outside during the frigid winter months, the chances that you are going to catch the flu increase exponentially. Between the wind, the temperatures and the ease with which the flu spreads, a person is lucky to escape the winter without contracting the flu even when they spend all of their time indoors. So if you plan to be outside a lot during this winter, here are a few tips on avoiding the flu.
How to Avoid the Flu When You Work Outside During the Winter: Step One.
Always wash your hands. Despite common misconceptions, the flu is much more easily spread indoors, where you come into close contact with sick people and with surfaces they have touched. The flu is spread by germs in the air and on people, not because of the cold weather outside.
When you are indoors, make sure that you wash your hands as often as possible. Even if you touch something on which germs are flourishing, you can kill those germs with soap and water before you touch your mouth or your face. When working outside, keep a bottle of hand sanitizer in your pocket for the times when you come into physical contact with others. Hand sanitizer costs just a few dollars a bottle, and will kill up to 99.9% of the flu germs.
How to Avoid the Flu When You Work Outside During the Winter: Step Two.
Dress for the weather. Always make it a habit to check the weather before leaving for work or school in the morning. By dressing for the weather you will help yourself and your children keep chills away. Having chills for a prolonged period of time is proven to diminish your body’s defense against bacteria and viruses, causing you to become ill much easier.
If the weather calls for rain make sure sure you have a raincoat and have an umbrella available. If it calls for weather under freezing make sure you and your children have hats, sweaters, gloves, and ear muffs available. If worse comes to worse and you are chilled for a long period of time make sure as soon as you can get warm make it a point to either take a warm shower, have yourself some hot soup, or drink a hot beverage to warm yourself up quickly in hopes to not get sick.
How to Avoid the Flu When You Work Outside During the Winter: Step Three.
Eat a balanced diet. You never thought that eating well would keep you from the flu, did you? Probably not, but eating a healthy diet can keep you from catching a cold this winter season by providing your body with all of the vitamins and nutrients that you need to keep yourself healthy.
Some great examples are foods and beverages that help keep your body at it’s peak this winter would be: Vitamin-enriched Orange Juice, plenty of fruits and vegetables, especially the green, leafy kinds, and vitamin supplements. Foods high in protein are also good choices, like white meat chicken or turkey breast, and tons of fish and shellfish offer high amounts of protein that will ward of the cold bacteria.
By following easy steps like these is a sure fire way to keep yourself and your children healthy this winter season, even if you are working or playing outside. Do not fret if you do become ill just get yourself on some good medication, drink plenty of fluids, and rest often for best results and quicker recovery.
