What is Your Plan For Flu Season?

17 Oct What is Your Plan For Flu Season?

Here we are in the middle of a pandemic!  Plus flu season is right around the corner.  Regardless of our political affiliation or thoughts or feelings about COVID-19, it is real, people are getting sick and unfortunately there are people dying.   

Knowing that we are about to step into flu season, the question is…what are you doing to prepare yourself and your family?  Can you prepare for the flu and help prevent COVID-19 at the same time.  

If you have followed any of the stats of COVID-19 you will know that everyone can contract COVID-19, however risk of severe cases and death is higher for older people and those with pre-existing conditions.  The flu is a little different.  It affects all people of all ages equally.  We also know from the statistics that flu and COVID-19 are both potentially fatal for those people that have weakened immune systems are older or have other health problems like; obesity, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, high blood pressure & cardiovascular problems.  

So again back to the question what is your plan for flu season while trying to prevent COVID-19?  

Let me suggest a plan that could potentially help prevent the flu & COVID-19 or ensure that your body’s immune system is ready to fight it and that if you do get them your symptoms are minor.

Step 1- Make sure you keep yourself hydrated.  This is simple! Always have water with you whether at work, school, gym, wherever.  A good key is if your urine is dark it means you are dehydrated.  

Step 2-Get enough sleep.  One of the fastest ways to weaken your immune system and make you more susceptible to infection is not getting enough sleep.  Get to bed early.  Turn off electronics 60-90 minutes before you go to bed.  Keep your room at a comfortable temperature.  Don’t’ take caffeine within 5-6 hours of bedtime. All of these things can help you get enough sleep.

Step 3-Eat better!  We all can improve our nutrition.  If you are really far away from a healthy diet then start small.  Start by getting rid of soda or maybe stop eating after 8pm.  If you’re already doing a good job with your diet, start fasting 1x per week or try to eat more fruits and veggies.  Regardless of where your diet is, try to improve it.

Step 4-Get on a good vitamin regimen.  Here is the bare minimum of what I recommend:  

1. Multivitamin 
2. Omega 3 fish oil
3. Vitamin D
4. Probiotic

There are other things you can add depending on your age and other needs but at a BARE minimum you need to be taking these.  When it comes to vitamins you really need to make sure you are getting enough Vitamin D.  Vitamin D has shown in many studies to prevent COVID-19 or reduce severity of symptoms. 

Step 5-Exercise!  Like a good diet you need to move your body.  If you don’t do anything at all, start small.  Begin with a 5 minute walk a day or a few push-ups, sit ups and bodyweight squats.  If you are already exercising try to add some resistance training or cardio depending on what you are currently doing.  I find most people do what they are comfortable with, some like running and all they do is run.  While others all they do is resistance training.  However we need a good balance of all of it.  

In closing, if we are balanced in our approach to health, our bodies will fight off most viral and bacterial infections we encounter.  We are all blessed with an immune system and if we take care of it and our bodies it will take care of you.  

If you need more personal advice please call our office and schedule an appointment, we are here to help 801-492-9300.