The best thing you can do is realize that “Flu season” really is a marketing ploy. There is no “season” for the flu. You can catch a cold at any time of the year if you are run down. Big pharma would love to sell you more cold medicines, nasal decongestants, cough drops, and get you in for more doctor visits. The TV advertising is primed to start you worrying about it with ads showing people coughing and sneezing and feeling badly. Your mind is a strong influencer of your health. If you believe you will get sick, you likely will.
Let’s go the other route! Prevention.
Old wives’ tales have said for decades that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. That is the truth. There are many things you can do to help keep yourself healthy all year long no matter what is going on around you.
Eat a well-rounded healthy diet – Fruits, vegetables, lean meats, nuts, seeds, eliminate processed, fast, and junk foods as they offer little nutrition.
Stay well hydrated – drink 8 glasses of water a day minimum. If you are a coffee drinker or non-herbal tea drinker, add 1 more cup for each beverage. Coffee and tea (as well as some sodas) can actually be dehydrating even though they have water.
Get sunshine and fresh air – Go outside at least 15 to 20 minutes a day. It will help your body make Vitamin D naturally.
Get Chiropractic adjustments regularly – Keeping your spine in proper alignment allows the proper electrical impulses to travel to your organs via your nervous system. This is what allows your body to heal itself and prevent disease. When pathways are pinched or blocked off, illness can ensue.
Get regular massages – it has been shown that massage therapy helps to boost the immune system, reduce stress, and make you feel a generally higher level of overall wellness.
Take your vitamins – While most of your nutrition should come from your diet, taking a good high quality multi vitamin is beneficial. Talk to Dr. Jason Kaster, D.C. he is an expert nutritionist and can make recommendations on other supplements which could benefit you personally.
Wash your hands regularly – As with all of the COVID coverage, yes washing your hands is important.
Exercise – exercising regularly keeps your immune system strong. 3x a week minimum is ideal – get your heart pumping and your cardiovascular health will thank you.
Get enough sleep – burning the candle at both ends only can last so long before you burn yourself right out.
If you do start to feel like you are coming down with something, take care of yourself. Stay home, rest, drink lots of liquids, eat sparingly nutrient dense foods that will help repair and listen to your body.
Do not panic. It is most likely a cold and not COVID so don’t freak out and jump right to the covid conclusion. Should you develop severe respiratory symptoms, feel like there is glass in your lungs, or lose your sense of taste completely, then yes consider getting tested. But if it’s the sniffles? Rest up.
At the first sign of a cold there is a wonderful homeopathic remedy available over the counter. It’s called Oscillococcinum and is a sublingual. Tea, chicken soup, bone broth, orange juice, and give your body a little time to fight it. A fever, unless very high, is only your body working to fight off and burn off the viral or bacterial infection. So just take pain relivers as needed. Turmeric also can work wonders if you do not want to take NSAID’s.
Is it time for an adjustment or a nutritional counseling session? – We would love to see you in our office in Fort Myers, Florida. www.Kasterchiropractic.com 239-332-2555. Give us a call to schedule your appointment!