5 Tips for Preventing the Flu
Every year, a new influenza virus works its way through the population, causing unpleasant symptoms, dangerous complications, and — in extreme cases — early death. The flu is preventable. Take steps now to keep yourself and your family safe.
Anyone who’s ever suffered through a bout of flu would never willingly ask for another. The flu, or influenza virus, changes every year due to mutations that occur as it moves from host to host. Even if you escaped last year’s flu, you’re not immune to this year’s.
Experts predict that the 2022 flu esasoncould be one of our most severe yet. Due to COVID lockdowns and continued reluctance to mingle in public, many kids haven’t yet had the opportunity to battle a flu virus. Kids, as all parents know, are a prime transmitter of the flu and other infectious illnesses.
At the Center of Advanced Wellness, our expert medical team wants all individuals and families in and around the Alamo Heights and Stone Oak areas of San Antonio, Texas, and Frisco, Texas, to stay healthy and flu-free. Here are five things you should do now to minimize your risk of catching the flu
1. Get your flu shot — now
The best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu shot. If you haven’t yet been immunized against this year’s flu, please call us today for an appointment. The earlier you get a flu shot in the flu season, the sooner you’re protected. Flu season runs from early fall until the end of winter or beginning of spring. So, it’s not too late to protect yourself and your family. Flu shots take about two weeks to stimulate your immune system to fight the virus. Don’t forget: Last year’s flu shot won’t work for this year’s flu. The flu, like COVID, mutates frequently. You must get a flu shot every year to protect yourself from symptoms and complications and to slow transmission among your friends, family, and community.2. Wash your hands frequently
If your anti-COVID habits have lapsed, now’s the time to resurrect them. Be sure to wash your hands with soap and hot water every time you come home or go back to the office. Each encounter in a public space — from taking lunch at a nearby cafe to rolling a grocery cart through a store — increases your risk for infection. Also be sure to wash your hands before every meal, even when you’re at home. Wash your hands before touching your face, especially your nose or eyes (and try not to touch your face at all!). When you’re out and about, carry hand sanitizer. Keep a bottle in your car, too.3. Wipe down gym equipment and other surfaces
You go to the gym to stay in shape and optimize your health. But a gym is a public space, and that means plenty of germs, including infectious bacteria and viruses. During flu season, take extra precautions to keep the surfaces in your home, office, gym, and other places you frequent often clean and sterilized. Carry disposable wipes for public spaces in case they’re not supplied.4. Minimize contact with others
If you haven’t yet gotten your flu shot, you may want to break out your COVID masks again until you get your shot and build immunity. The more layers of protection you put between yourself and others who might be infected, the more you decrease your risk of catching the flu. When you’re out in public, readopt the six-foot rule and try to maintain distance between yourself and others. Once you’re out of a public space, be sure to wash your hands.5. Take care of yourself
Even after you get your flu shot, you should continue to maintain or adopt lifestyle habits that keep your body and immune system strong. Make sure you:- Eat a whole-foods diet filled with vegetables and fruits
- Avoid sugar, simple carbohydrates, and processed foods
- Drink plenty of water and other healthy, non-sugared liquids
- Get plenty of exercise and movement each day
- Sleep well and deeply
- Take recommended vitamins and supplements
- Manage stress through breathing, meditation, or therapy