8 Overlooked Ways to Avoid Colds and Flu

This year’s cold and flu season has packed quite a punch. I know families across the country who have been sick with these, experiencing symptoms that are much worse than they’ve had in past years.

As we’re all scrambling to keep ourselves and our families healthy, it’s important that we not overlook these humble ways to stay healthy.

Overlooked ways to stay healthy during cold and flu season

• Handwashing. We’ve all heard about handwashing since we were children. We know we should do it and we know how to do it, so we don’t give it much thought. To be frank, we really should pay attention to it and put effort into it. This is because good handwashing reduces respiratory illnesses, like colds, in the general population by 16-21% (source). We can significantly decrease our chances of getting sick simply by washing our hands frequently (using soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer).
• Staying home when sick. One of the reasons colds and flu spread so quickly is because many folks continue to go out and about when they are sick. I know you have good reasons for wanting to work and wanting your kids to be in school, but be considerate of the individuals in your community and stay home when you are sick!
• Managing stress. Individuals under chronic stress are more likely to develop a cold than people who aren’t under chronic stress. This is because cortisol, a stress hormone, switches off the body’s inflammatory response, making it difficult to fight infections (source). We all face stress, so what can we do about this? We have to find ways to manage stress. This may mean going for walks, meditating, getting a massage, learning time management, etc. Find something that works for you so you aren’t at an increased risk of getting sick.
• Getting exercise. While stress increases our risk of infection, exercise can actually decrease our risk of infection (source). Researchers aren’t exactly certain why this is, but there are a few theories:
  • Exercise may help flush bacteria out of the lungs and airways, reducing our chances of getting a cold, flu, or other illness.
  • Exercise causes changes in antibodies and white blood cells (WBC). WBCs, the body’s immune cells that fight disease, circulate more rapidly during exercise, so they may detect illnesses earlier than they would in the absence of exercise.
  • The slight rise in body temperature during and immediately after exercise may prevent bacteria from growing. This temperature increase may also help the body fight infection more effectively.
  • Exercise slows the release of stress hormones. Chronic stress, as noted above, increases our risk of infection.
• Avoiding cigarette smoke. If you are regularly exposed to cigarette smoke (whether you smoke or are exposed to secondhand smoke), then your lungs’ defense against illnesses is blunted. Cigarette smoke dries out the nasal passages and paralyzes the cilia (the delicate, hair-like structures in the respiratory tract). Without moist nasal passages and active cilia, our bodies have a hard time sweeping cold and flu viruses from the nasal passages (source).
• Eating nutritious foods. It turns out that our mothers were right when they told us to eat our veggies. Among many other things, the consumption of phytochemical-rich fruits and veggies (those that are dark green, red, and yellow in color) can help us fight off colds and flu (source). Phytochemicals give a supercharged boost to the vitamins in these foods. When our bodies are able to access and use these vitamins, our immune systems are more likely to function properly.
• Breastfeeding. If you’re a breastfeeding mom who is sick, rest assured that you can’t transmit cold or flu viruses to your baby via breast milk (source). However, your milk contains antibodies that are specific to the illness (i.e., the antibodies in the milk will prevent your baby from getting sick or, if he or she does get sick, the illness will typically be less severe than you experience). In other words, you can protect your baby simply by continuing to feed him or her!
• Getting fresh air. It’s tempting to stay cooped up in our homes in an attempt to avoid cold and flu viruses. Unfortunately, staying indoors all of the time can actually increase our risk of getting sick (source). In most locations, indoor air quality is two to five times worse than outdoor air quality. Going outside (or letting outside air in by opening the windows) allows us to breathe fresh, clean air. Venturing out also gives us space so we’re not in close proximity to those who may be sick.

We often think that complicated approaches will be more effective. This isn’t always the case, though. These simple approaches are quite effective, so let’s not overlook them as we try to keep our families healthy this winter!

What things do you do to protect your family from colds and flu?