Even though influenza viruses can affect you all year long, flu and cold season is typically between October and May with the peak months happening between December and March.  If you don’t want the flu to slow you down, here are some excellent tips to follow to stay healthy during the flu season.

  1. Wash hands frequently. Whether at work, at home or out and about, handwashing is an effective way to keep you and your family healthy. Keep good habits by washing your hands before and after you eat and if you are out of the home, consider keeping a small bottle of hand sanitizer to clean your hands on the go.
  2. Clean and Disinfect.  Just like how you want to keep your hands clean, you are going to want to make sure the surfaces you touch are also clean.  Take a little extra time to clean your bathroom sink or your kitchen countertops with antibacterial wipes or a bleach-solution. This will aid in helping kill bacteria and viruses on whatever surfaces they may be lurking.
  3. Practice Healthy Habits.  While washing your hands and keeping hand sanitizer close by are excellent habits to have to avoid getting sick, there are other practices you can have to stay healthy. Getting plenty of sleep every night, exercise whenever possible, drink plenty of fluids and incorporate a daily vitamin are excellent ways to help stave off illnesses.
  4. Keep up with well checks and get the flu shot. Flu can be a serious disease, especially for those with compromised immune systems.  Flu-related illnesses can also lead to hospitalizations, and any infection or complication can disrupt dialysis treatments, posing additional risks to your health. A flu shot can help reduce the likelihood of needing hospitalization due to the flu.

By incorporating these simple yet effective habits, you can significantly reduce your risk of falling ill. Small daily changes make a big difference in staying healthy during flu season, so take control of your health today and encourage others to do the same. Together, we can make this flu season safer and healthier for everyone!