When Sickness Invades Your Household
What To Do When You Are Sick
It’s flu season! My two kids had the sniffles for a few days now, and it wasn’t until today that my whole family got it including me, my infant son and my daughter. Getting the sick is inevitable especially if you have kids that are just starting out in the outside world, because of their immune systems. This blog will be about strategies that you and your family can do once that day comes.
Wash Your Hands with SOAP- Every chance you get especially if you touch something that is shared make sure you wash your hands with hot water and soap. Washing your hands is true all the time, but even more so during flu season, so germs don’t spread. For a proper handwashing, it should take 30 to 45 seconds long. It doesn’t have to be as in depth as a surgeon before they scrub when they perform surgery but it’s on the same lines.
Exercise with CARE- I keep getting asked if it’s ok to exercise when you are sick, and that depends on two things. Is your sickness below the head? That should be pretty self-explanatory if you have diarrhea then stay away from exercise, especially if you work out in a public place. The second thing that is important is the exercise that you should do when you are sick it shouldn’t be very intense. Very intense exercise sessions knock down the immune system for about 24 to 48 hours.
Drink lots of OJ and Water– You need plenty of fluids to rehydrate your body and help boost your immune system, but it needs to be the right kind of drinks. No alcohol! Orange juice is filled up with Vitamin C, although there are studies out there that vitamin C doesn’t do much when you have a cold. It’s still an essential vitamin and antioxidant that the body uses to keep you active and healthy, and you should be taking a lot of Vitamin C through foods and liquids regardless if you have a cold or not.
Green Tea- Green tea boosts the B cell antibodies. B cell antibodies are a type of white blood cell and white blood cells help fight invading pathogens.
SLEEP- Are you sleepy? Have a nap. Your body is fighting a war and the less energy you spend, the faster you will recover.
Garlic- Besides scaring the vampires away having garlic especially when you are sick will act as an antibiotic; it can lessen the severity of colds and other infections.
There you have it! These are a few things that can help you the next time you or a loved one is down and out. If you feel this has helped you in any way, please share it.