Whether it's flu season or a common cold, germs are showing up everywhere. If your immune system is weak, you can often get sick. With this, it can become challenging to stay well as you can easily come into contact with an infected person at the workplace or home. We know that prevention is worth a cure! So, if you're wondering how to avoid getting sick, consider making some lifestyle and dietary changes to reduce your chances of falling ill. Let's explore the article and learn how with self-discipline and appropriate care, you can prevent several diseases and live a healthy life.
How To Avoid Getting Sick:10 Important Tips
Secrets to prevent sickness and promote good health are not a secret anymore, rather, they are common sense. You have to practice self-discipline to get rid of any type of illness. So, how to prevent getting sick"? Well, here are the ten effective approaches that you should consider to avoid falling sick.
1. Consume a balanced diet
Consuming a nutritious, balanced diet is very important to strengthen your immune system and improve your overall health. If you are looking for how to not get sick, consider practicing some healthy dietary habits. That may include eating green leafy vegetables, fruits, lentils, beans, seeds, whole grains, nuts, etc. According to the study, these plant-based foods consist of minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins that are beneficial to boost your immune system. Moreover, to prevent flu or cold, you can also add turmeric, ginger, garlic, and citrus fruits to improve your immune health.
2. Exercise regularly
Exercise increases blood flow, allowing the immune cells to travel more effectively throughout the body. This improves the ability of the immune system to catch the virus and fight off the infections. Moreover, physical activities help stimulate the production of antibodies which are also crucial to protect against illnesses. Besides this, long-term inflammation leads to a weak immune system and here, regular exercising can manage the inflammation. Thus, facilitating an effective immune response to defend the body against diseases or infections.
3. Practice good hygiene
You need to practice some good hygiene habits, which include:
- Wash the hands before eating or while cooking the food for at least 20 seconds.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue while sneezing or coughing.
- Avoid touching your nose, mouth, and nose often because germs can spread as if you have touched some contaminated surfaces.
- Shower daily.
- Carry an alcohol-based hand sanitizer while going outside or traveling to clean your hands whenever needed.
- Disinfect shared surfaces at home or workplace such as doorknobs, keyboards, remote controls, tables, and telephones.
4. Take vitamins and supplements
According to research, vitamins like vitamin C help strengthen the immune system to fight off infections. You can consume vitamin C from berries, broccoli, citrus fruits, and bell peppers. Vitamin D also contributes to the strong immune system that you can get from eggs yolks, salmon, mushrooms, etc. Moreover, an herbal supplement like Echinacea is reported to prevent common cold symptoms, as per the study. However, more studies are needed for its huge effectiveness.
5. Get enough sleep
Getting enough sleep contributes to an increased production of cytokines. The study says cytokines are the proteins responsible for regulating the immune response that is crucial to fight off infections. Moreover, adequate sleep is also important for cellular growth and repair. When your immune cells and tissues properly repair during sleep, they effectively prevent infections. Besides this, sleep reduces inflammation and stress and both factors contribute to the weakening of the immune system.
6. Drink green tea
Green tea is highly rich in antioxidants, protecting immune cells from free radical damage, thus, supporting immune health. It also consists of polyphenols, having antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects that are beneficial for a balanced immune system. By strengthening the immune system, green tea helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and decrease blood pressure levels. To learn more about the benefits of green tea you can read our detailed guide Health Benefits of Green Tea-A Good Health Drink
7. Reduce stress
Long-term stress can trigger the body to release cortisol hormones. Increased cortisol levels can prevent the immune response, making the body incapable of fighting against infections. Research says prolonged stress can even lead to inflammation that can weaken immunity and raise the risk of various illnesses. Additionally, stress can interrupt the communication of immune cells, impacting their ability to efficiently respond to dangers.
8. Limit or Avoid alcohol
Drinking alcohol in excess amounts can decrease the production of immune cells and damage their function. This makes the body less capable of combating infections or illnesses. In addition, alcohol consumption can cause chronic inflammation which also contributes to the weakening of the immune system. Consuming alcohol for a long time can raise the risk of infections such as pneumonia.
9. Get vaccinated
CDC recommends that all people over 6 months should get vaccinated for the flu every season. The flu vaccine can help lower the risk of becoming the carrier of the virus and then transferring it to other people, particularly those who are more prone to infections. Pregnant women, infants, older people, and individuals living with some health issues are more vulnerable to complications caused by flu. Getting a flu vaccine can protect against them.
10. Avoid sharing personal things
Generally, flu viruses can live on any surface for about 24 hours, leaving enough time for the spread of germs to other family members. One sick person can pass the germs to many people. So, avoid sharing personal items such as toothbrushes, drinking glasses, utensils, and towels. Always clean the contaminated items using hot and soapy water.
Summing Up
Your body works hard regularly to keep you active and moving. So, ensure staying healthy by practicing good dietary and lifestyle routines. From eating healthy foods and exercising regularly to getting enough sleep and a flu vaccine, you can learn how to avoid getting sick. By combining all the above-mentioned strategies, you can reduce the chances of getting flu or a common cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to prevent sickness?
Practicing good hygiene (washing hands before eating, showering daily, etc.), eating a balanced diet (consuming green leafy veggies, fruits, nuts, etc.), getting plenty of sleep, etc. can prevent sickness.
How do I stop getting sick?
You can consider eating healthy foods, practicing exercises regularly, getting enough sleep, washing hands before eating, etc.
How do I know if I have the flu or cold?
The symptoms of flu can be similar to cold such as fever, headache, body pain, weakness, and chills.
How do you prevent getting sick?
To prevent getting sick, eat green vegetables and fruits, get vitamin D, exercise regularly, limit alcohol, get a flu vaccine, and more healthy secrets.
How do you stop yourself from getting sick?
Eat a balanced diet, take vitamins, exercise regularly, manage stress, get vaccinated, and drink green tea to stop getting sick.
How to not be sick?
To prevent sickness, consume healthy foods, drink a lot of water, take supplements, get enough sleep, exercise regularly, etc.
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