How To Prevent The Flu: 5 Flu Prevention Tips You Need To Know!

by Joshua

Cold And Flu, Germs And Bacteria, healthy foods, Vitamins And Supplements

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avoid_the_fluI’ve been able to avoid the flu for the past 3 seasons… and counting.

And I’ve never even gotten the flu shot. (I’ve heard both good things and bad things about the flu shot.)

So, what can you do to prevent the flu?

Following are 5 tips that I have used (so far) successfully.

 

5 Flu Prevention Steps That Work

 

#1 – Wash your hands!
I know this is pretty common advice. But, for goodness sakes, washing your hands really does work, so it can’t be stated often enough.

What’s more, I wash my hands throughout the day (between 8 and 13 times is not uncommon for me), including after shaking somebody’s hand, using a computer keyboard, going to the bathroom, and both before and after handling food.

 

#2 – Avoid touching bathroom doorknobs
This may sound a little germaphobic, but I think one of the greatest flaws in bathroom engineering occurs in situations where you have to pull the door to open it upon leaving a public restroom. If you can push the door upon exiting, at least you don’t have to open it with your hands.

Alas, many bathrooms require you to pull a door to exit, and I’ve seen plenty of people leave a bathroom after having done their business — without washing their hands.

If you have to pull on a door handle or grab a doorknob to exit a bathroom, then do so using a paper towel. If the restroom only has an air hand drier, then put your hand inside your lower shirt and grab the door handle or doorknob with your shirt.

 

#3 – Stand back from people who are sneezing, coughing, or wheezing.
The moment I hear that somebody is obviously under the weather, I keep myself at least 6 feet from them. Sneezes and wheezes all give me cause to steer clear of that person.

By keeping a small distance from someone who’s sick, you’ll avoid the flu bacteria that becomes airborne when they exhale, and especially upon sneezing, coughing, or blowing their nose.

 

#4 – Consume foods or drinks that contain Vitamin C.
I’ve always known that a glass of orange juice is part of a well-rounded breakfast, but it may also be one of the keys to prevent the flu, too. A single, 8-ounce glass of orange juice contains 120% of the average person’s suggested daily intake of Vitamin C – a powerful antioxidant.

If orange juice is too acidic for you, there are other foods that contain high concentrations of Vitamin C, including:

  • Papaya
  • Bell peppers
  • Strawberries
  • Pineapple
  • Kale
  • Cantaloupe
  • Kiwifruit
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Broccoli

 

#5 – Exercise regularly.
A healthy body can ward off the flu and other illnesses much more quickly than one that doesn’t get the proper amount of exercise.

General health recommendations suggest getting at least 150 minutes of exercise per week, which boils down to about 30 minutes of activity 5 days a week.

This level of exercise can be achieved in many ways, including walking, biking, swimming, and jogging. You can even break up the 30 minutes of daily activity over the course of multiple 5- or 10-minute exercise routines, too.