I usually ask CNU students to send me questions to my inbox, however, today I wanted to give everyone some tips on the cold and flu season which is right around the corner. When you are surrounded by so many people on a daily basis, it is very easy to come into contact with someone who may be sick. Down below, I’ve listed some important tips on how to make sure you are staying healthy during this particular season.
- Take vitamins, drink Emergen-C
One of the biggest things I would do before cold and flu season is to take vitamins or drink Emergen-C daily. Implementing these small things into your morning routine can be very helpful, as vitamins and Emergen-C are packed with lots of things that your body needs to fight off illnesses. Personally, I don’t like the taste of Emergen-C, therefore, I lean towards taking vitamins everyday. Either way, this is an important step in ensuring you avoid getting sick early on in the season.
- Get enough sleep & rest when you need to
Another thing that you can do to avoid getting sick is to make sure you are getting enough sleep. Sleep is very important in making sure your body stays happy and healthy. Along with that, make sure you are also resting when you need to. Our bodies aren’t meant to work in overdrive 24/7, so let your body rest if it needs to.
- Wash your hands & carry hand sanitizer
I feel like I don’t have to say this because we are all adults, but I still see people leave the bathroom without washing their hands. For the love of all things, please wash your hands! When you aren’t washing your hands, you are spreading germs and illnesses to other people. It’s also just gross in general. If you are in an area where you can’t wash your hands, carry hand sanitizer with you at all times. This way, you are always prepared to clean your hands, no matter what the situation is.
- Avoid people who are under the weather
Look, I know you and your friend had plans to hang out, but if they say they aren’t feeling well, cancel. That might seem a bit harsh, but sicknesses spread fast, and one way to contain them is ensuring that you aren’t around someone who may be ill. Furthermore, if you are sick, you shouldn’t be making plans to hang out with anyone anyway. You should be resting up so you can get better.
- Go to the clinic if your symptoms get worse
I know that most of us would rather save money and just not go to the clinic or doctor. This is fine, as long as your symptoms don’t carry on within a day or two or get worse. At some point, it becomes reasonable that you do seek medical advice, especially if you are missing a lot of work or class. Seeking medical advice is also important because then you are less likely to get something worse from your illness. When in doubt, seek some help!
- Take necessary medications and be cautious
If you need to take any prescription medication or over the counter medication to help with your symptoms, be mindful. A lot of medications have labels that indicate what you can and cannot do while on the medication. For example, when you are prescribed an antihistamine, you are not allowed to drink while on this medication. You also have to make sure that you take it on a full stomach. Things like this are important to note because you want to feel better, not worse.
I hope these tips help in combating the cold and flu season! Just remember, even though we are adults and are in college, illnesses can still spread like wildfire because we come into close contact with people on a daily basis. Do your part and stay healthy!
