Toni’s Healthy Tip #27: How to Stay Healthy During the Flu Season
Toni Julian, health advocate & author
Friends,
I genuinely hope this article finds you well! It’s been quite a flu season and I’ve been busy fielding calls about what to do to avoid it, and what to do if you get it. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the number of cases reported are on the rise over last week. This comes as no surprise when you realize your co-workers are missing work, or friends and family have been affected.
So, let’s stay positive! Repeat after me “I will stay healthy, I will stay healthy, I will stay healthy!”
Here are my top tips for combating the flu season:
DO MORE OF THIS:
Sleep: Your body only heals when it sleeps. Make sure to get plenty of rest so your immune system is strong.
Drink fluids: You need at least one-half your body weight in ounces of pure water every day. So, if you’re a 180-pound male, you need 90 ounces every day, and even more when it’s hot. Now that the weather is colder, it’s sometimes challenging to remember. Herbal tea to keep you toasty all day is one way to stay hydrated.
Wash your hands: Every time you come home from being in public, wash your hands with soap and HOT water. Wash up to your elbows and make sure to scrub under your nails. If using a public rest room, use paper towels to turn off the sink water and to open the door when leaving.
Take Vitamin C: This powerful anti-oxidizing vitamin helps keep your immune system strong! Vitamin C is water-soluble so it won’t be stored like fat soluble vitamins which can become toxic if you over-consume them. I recommend loading up on produce from Sigona’s and incorporate them into every meal. Here are the top natural sources of Vitamin C found in fruits and vegetable: red peppers, oranges, grapefruits, kiwifruit, green peppers, broccoli, strawberries and brussels sprouts.
DO LESS OF THIS:
Touching your face: We don’t realize how often we do this, but it is one sure-fired way to spread germs! Avoid touching your mouth, your nose and your eyes. Many of those little buggers are communicable that way.
Shaking hands: I may be coming across as a germaphobe, and I know it is part of our culture and an etiquette requirement to shake hands when meeting, but I am learning how to politely decline. And the reason is that even if you are diligent at washing your hands, the person you’re meeting may not be. I’ve begun using body language, like having my hands in my pockets while using direct phrases like “It’s so nice to meet you! I’m so sorry, but I’m avoiding shaking hands until the flu season passes…”.
Attending meetings when sick: I was relieved to recently have friends and business acquaintances postpone their appointments with me when they felt they weren’t well. In fact, it happened twice today! If you’re not feeling well, don’t push it and do your friends a favor by rescheduling when you’re contagious. If you have the flu, you are likely still contagious for 24 hours after your fever passes.
People in my inner circle earn brownie points for being considerate. I especially appreciated it when I had a young child at home with asthma, or I was working full time –and taking care of my papa for five years who was terminal with Multiple Myeloma–and were considerate enough to ask me if they should not come over if they had a cold. I appreciated it so much that they gave me the option so I would not only avoid exposing myself, but my family members I was responsible for caring for and who were already at high-risk.
Please share this with your friends who would like to stay healthy during this winter flu season!
From my heart to yours,
Toni Julian is the 2017 recipient of the Top Women of Influence by the Silicon Valley Business Journal, is a nationally renowned health advocate, nutrition adviser, fitness expert, and author of BITE ME! Change Your Life One Bite at a Time. She a 50-something mom of four, on the board of directors for NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners) and Creator of TONI’S Protein Meals, with 18 grams of protein for a conveniently healthy and complete meal that’s ready in minutes. Get yours at Sigona’s! Visit www.ToniJulian.com
