Tips for Avoiding the Common Cold

Cold season is fast approaching! I don’t have time to be sick, so I am taking steps to follow a healthy lifestyle, using common sense to avoid germs, and arming my body with the vitamins it needs for a healthy holiday season.

Most of us don’t eat all the fresh fruits and vegetables we need for optimal nutrition, so I take a daily multivitamin to help fill any gap in my nutritional needs.

In addition to taking a multivitamin each day, during cold and flu season I add Vitamin C to my daily regimen. While Vitamin C can’t cure a common cold, it can help strengthen the immune system. Confession: For a long time I skipped Vitamin C because I hated chewing those tablets. But you know what I discovered at Walgreen’s? Vitamin C tablets that you can just swallow like any other pill!

If there is a vitamin or doctor recommended supplement you have avoided because you didn’t like the form it usually comes in, talk to the pharmacist. They may be able to suggest an alternative that is acceptable to you. You can now find gummy vitamins for adults and fish oil “pearls” so you can avoid the fishy aftertaste.

We live pretty far north and have cold winters that keep us inside, so I don’t get enough exposure to the sun. In addition to my other vitamins, I take Vitamin D to help keep me from becoming deficient in Vitamin D during our long winters. Evaluate the changes in your lifestyle and diet during the winter to see if there is vitamin or mineral that you need to take to supplement your nutritional needs.

In addition to taking my vitamins each day, I am also making a point of practicing good health habits. I try to get plenty of sleep and exercise, I drink plenty of fluids, and I eat healthy foods. Maintaining healthy habits might not prevent you from getting sick, but it can help ensure that your immune system is in good condition and ready to fight infection if it occurs.

Tips for Avoiding the Common Cold

1. Maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy, getting enough rest, and taking daily vitamins.

2. Wash your hands often.

3. Don’t touch your mouth, nose, or eyes, especially when out in public.

4. Use hand sanitizer after touching surfaces in public places.

5. Bring your own pen and use it when you have to sign something rather than use a shared pen at the bank.

6. Regularly disinfect surfaces in your home that are commonly touched by others: doorknobs, phones, keyboards, and counters.

7. Keep your toothbrushes separated.

8. Disinfect your child’s toys, not only when they have are sick, but also immediately after playdates.

9. Label cups to avoid accidentally drinking out of someone else’s cup.

10. When someone in your home is sick, use paper tissues and throw the used tissues out immediately after use. We use cloth handkerchiefs throughout the year for seasonal allergies, but I switch to paper when we are dealing with something contagious in our house.

What steps do you take to avoid getting a cold?