Four Tips for Preventing Cold and Flu Symptoms

 

Cold and flu season is directly upon us. Not only are more people getting the flu this year, but the symptoms are also much worse when compared to other years. It is not too late to take the proper prevention steps to avoid cold and flu symptoms. There are a few steps that you can take every day to reduce your chances of getting the cold or flu.

Be adamant about a healthy lifestyle
Eating healthy and exercising can actually improve the immune system. Your immune system is an important part of fighting off both cold and flu symptoms. A healthy lifestyle should be a priority year round but is especially useful during the winter months. Make sure you are getting a good amount of fruits and vegetables. Avoid skipping meals. Try to stay active during the winter months. You will find that you get ill less and when you do get ill, it does not last as long.

Be aware of external germs
Germs are an inevitable part of the world. While you cannot completely avoid germs, you can take steps to reduce the number that you are exposed to. When you are in public such as at work, school, or even the local grocery store, make sure you are washing your hands frequently. If you do not have access to a sink or hand soap, use hand sanitizer. Also, avoid touching public surfaces and then touching your face. Teach these same healthy tips to your children to prevent them from bringing external germs into your house.

Have your vitamin levels checked often
Although many people do skip their yearly exams, this can be a mistake. In addition to monitoring your health, these exams also do routine blood checks. The blood checks look for vitamin levels. Vitamins are important in keeping your immune system strong. If you are aware of any natural deficiencies you have with your vitamin levels, you can take over the counter supplements. These supplements can actually improve your immune response to cold and flu symptoms. With the emergence of walk in clinics, you can easily schedule your routine blood checkups.

Know when medication is needed
Sometimes, despite your preventions, you still get cold or flu symptoms. Now, it is important to know when medication is needed and when it is not. Many people are tempted to run to their medical care clinic the minute they experience cold or flu symptoms. They request an antibiotic from their multicare physician. Some walk in clinics make the mistake of overly prescribing antibiotics. You should also never take an antibiotic unless it is prescribed to you by your walk in clinic physician. Taking too many antibiotics or antibiotics for symptoms that are not bacterial can actually cause it to not work as well if you need it later on.

This doesn?t mean that you can?t get symptom relief from your walk in clinic physician. Instead, request medications that can help you manage your symptoms. Every year, Americans get approximately 1 billion colds. Additionally, an average of 5 to 20% of Americans comes down with the flu each year. Trust your physician in the appropriate medication to treat your symptoms. With 85% of urgent care locations open seven days a week, you can easily seek medical treatment for your cold or flu symptoms.

Cold and flu season is upon us and is more prevalent than previous years. This, however, does not necessarily mean that you are going to get it. Taking health precautions can reduce your chances or severeness of these illnesses. If you do experience cold or flu illnesses, take advantage of the convenience and quality of your local walk in clinic.