Tips for Preventing a Cold

Cold and flu season is here again.

It’s that time of the year again, the time of the year when everyone is sneezing, coughing and spreading their germs. No one wants to get sick, and if you’re hoping to steer clear of getting sick this cold and flu season, you’re going to have to take a few precautions. Luckily, our online health store is here to help. Here are a few expert tips from your friends at The Online Drugstore for preventing a cold.

#1. Wash Your Hands

You’d be surprised at how much of a difference it can make when you wash your hands frequently and property throughout the day. Cold germs are invisible, and because they can survive on a variety of surfaces for up to seven days, you never know which stair rails or doorknobs may be infested with germs. You can’t do much about the germs in public places, but you can make sure that those germs don’t make it into your system by washing your hands.

#2. Kill the Germs Around You

As we mentioned, cold germs can live up to seven days on all kinds of surfaces, where they can easily infect unsuspecting individuals. It may not be viable for you to expect to be able to keep public surfaces clean, but you can make it a point to kill the germs around you, like on your desk and at home. Keep a package of antiseptic wipes with you, like Clorox To Go Wipes, and frequently wipe down your keyboard, pens, headphones and anything else that may have been exposed to germs.

#3. Keep Your Hands Away From Your Face

During cold and flu season, it’s very important to keep your hands away from your mouth, eyes and nose, as these are the most common areas for cold germs to find their way into your body. Keeping your hands clean is important but since germs are invisible and there’s no way to know if your hands have been exposed or not, you’ll be better off if you make it a point to keep your hands away from your face as well.

#4. Start Exercising

Not only does exercising help you to look great, but it will also help you to feel great, too! Strengthening your heart with a daily, 20- to 30-minute cardiovascular workout will help to strengthen your immune system, preventing you from getting sick if you are exposed to cold or flu germs. If you’re new to regular exercise, you’ll be surprised at what a difference even a short walk can make in how you feel every day. However, if you’re already sick, don’t overdo it on the exercise; rest is an essential part of the healing process.

#5. Drink Lots of Fluids

General health practices that keep your body healthy and strong, including staying hydrated, will also help to keep your immune system strong and fend off cold germs. One study even found that staying hydrated may help to boost specific immune responses that allow the body to fend off viruses more effectively. Whether you’re in the beginning stages of a cold or you are just hoping to prevent one, make it a point to drink lots of fluids, particularly water. Also, avoid beverages that can dehydrate you, like coffee or alcohol.

#6. Go to Bed Early

Getting lots of sleep is one of the most powerful things you can do for both preventing a cold and healing a cold. Research has found that getting enough sleep on a regular basis is critical for healthy, effective immune function. To ensure that you’re getting plenty of good sleep for your immune health, try going to bed a half hour to an hour earlier every night. Also, make sure that you’re practicing good sleep hygiene — e.g. get on a regular sleep/wake cycle, avoid screens before bedtime, avoid caffeine before bedtime, etc. Click Here to find more Sleep Aids. 

#7. Eat a Healthier Diet

@ Your diet plays a huge role in your overall health, as well as your immune health, and during cold and flu season, it’s more important than ever to ensure that you’re eating a healthy, well-rounded diet. For a strong, healthy immune system, make it a point to eat lots of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, proteins and complex carbohydrates. Also, avoid consuming too much sugar during cold and flu season, as it can hinder your immune system’s ability to fend off bacteria that can make you sick.

#8. Supplement Your Diet

There are many different supplements that could help you fend off a cold, and you can find them all here at The Online Drugstore. In our next blog, we’ll be going over which supplements are most ideal to take during cold and flu season, so make sure to stay tuned.

Shop The Online Drugstore for everything you need for cold and flu prevention.

No one wants to have to deal with the coughing, runny nose and sniffling that comes with getting a cold or the flu, and we hope that these tips will help you avoid it this year.

At The Online Drugstore, we offer a wide variety of products to help you prevent and treat colds and the flu this year, from supplements and vitamins to over-the-counter medications and hot tea. When you shop with us, you’ll be glad to find that we offer the lowest prices for many of our products, and when you spend $49 or more in a single order, you also get free shipping. Experience for yourself why we’re your Top Rated National® drugstore. Stay healthy this cold and flu season, and shop with us today!