25 May Cold and Flu Season
What to do to get ready for the winter months to keep you and the whole family happy and health.
Winter is coming.
It’s good news for Games of Thrones fans, but bad news for our immune systems. With the colder months come colds and flus, thanks to all the time spent indoors coughing all over our colleagues. If you don’t want to spend your winter chained to a tissue box, here’s a few natural tips to help you and your family avoid the sniffles this year.
Wash yo’ hands.
It seems obvious, but keep your hands clean is one of the most important things of all. Cold viruses transfer from nasal passages to hands very easily (with sneezing, touching, blowing, and if you have kids, just outright nose-picking) and if the virus makes it’s way to your airways, you’re a goner. Keep washing your hands, especially if you are around children, and keep your hands away from your own face as much as possible, as the virus is often transferred through the nose or eyes.
Forget the anti-bacterial.
The cells that are transferred from cold sufferers are viral, not bacterial. Surprisingly, anti-bacterial handwashes will have no more effect than plain old soap and water. It’s the physicality of hand-washing, the rubbing and the scrubbing, that removes the viral cells and flushes them down the sink.
Eat more garlic.
Garlic and mushrooms are both natural immune-boosters. Garlic gets a high score for anti-viral properties, and shiitake mushrooms are particularly good at revving your immune system. It’s possible no one will want to sit next to you on the bus, but the garlic breath will be worth it.
Ginger, lemon and honey tea.
Not only is it delicious, but a hot herbal tea with ginger, lemon and honey will help soothe a sore throat and lessen the severity of cold symptoms. Ginger is particularly good for fighting viruses, and a strong cup of ginger tea has plenty of anti-viral benefits – snuggle up with a blanket and a mug.
Salt therapy.
Regular session at a salt therapy centre can help reduce the chances of catching a cold by boosting the immune system. But if it’s too late and you’re already sniffling, a few salt therapy sessions can alleviate the symptoms of a cold and shorten it’s duration. The salty air clears the nasal passages naturally, coating the inner lining with refined salt and relieving congestion.
Stay healthy this winter with some good natural remedies and germ prevention, and look after your body with some relaxing salt therapy. Nobody wants to be the snotty one at work.