Five Health Mistakes to Avoid This Holiday Season
With all the planning, responsibilities and events of the upcoming holiday season, the last thing anyone wants is to fall ill and be unable to enjoy or participate in the festivities. Cooler weather invites the cold/flu season, but this doesn’t mean you are helpless against illness. Patients who are proactive and take control of their health are less likely to contract an illness like the common cold or the flu.
You may hesitate to add to a to-do list, but we hope you will consider the following mistakes as a kind warning that cold/flu season can impact men and women of all ages.
1. Skipping a flu shot – The only individuals who do not qualify for a flu shot are infants under the age of 6 months. Men, women, children and the elderly are all encouraged to receive the flu vaccine as soon as possible. This includes pregnant women, for which the flu vaccine is safe.
2. Close contact with someone who is ill – It can be difficult to keep coworkers who feel unwell from coming in to the office (even though they should absolutely stay home!), but you should avoid direct contact with someone who is ill whenever possible. Do not share drinks. Wash items like towels, blankets, bedsheets and pillowcases, and clean surfaces like counters, desks, door handles, bathroom appliances, keyboards, mobile phones and tablets to remove germs.
3. Sleeping less than 7-9 hours per night – The quality and quantity of your sleep cycle directly impacts your immune system. Those without at least 7-9 hours of sleep every night risk a compromised immune system that can be susceptible to illness.
4. Touching your eyes, nose and mouth – Clean hands are one of the best ways to avoid the cold/flu, but keeping your hands clean 100% of the time isn’t always realistic. Wash your hands often, and avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes whenever possible.
5. Not hydrating – One of the easiest ways to ensure a healthy immune system is to drink enough water throughout the day. Try replacing at least one non-water beverage with water once a day to start, if you find that drinking water is a struggle, or set goals for yourself to drink an amount of water before each next meal. You can tell how hydrated you are by the color of your urine. Pale yellow or clear urine means you are hydrated; dark yellow is an indication that you need to drink more water. Red or brown urine means that you should contact your healthcare provider to ensure an underlying condition isn’t present.
Extra quick tips!
• The holidays lean toward more indulgent food choices, and you can certainly enjoy your favorites, but we recommend watching portion size to skip an upset stomach, acid reflux, cholesterol concerns, etc.
• Take symptoms seriously. If you begin to feel unwell, take the time to rest and recover. Pushing through illness can worsen your condition, taking symptoms from mild or moderate to severe.
Staying healthy during the cold/flu season doesn’t have to be a chore. The above steps are simple, taking only minimal time and effort but providing maximum results. You might even find that your overall health improves once you take control of how much sleep you get and how much water you drink. If you have any questions, please contact Pacific Family Practice.