Tips for Staying Healthy During the Cold Season
By: Grace Inch
Cold season is upon us, and with that comes the mountains of used tissues, the sound of sneezing echoing around your home and so, so many trips to the pharmacy. Whether or not you’re a student just looking for some relief, or a tired parent picking up after sick children, or just sick of being sick yourself, here’s a couple of cheap ways to keep yourself healthy as we head into the fall months.
1.Wash your hands.
Yes, this seems silly and obvious. But I keep a big ol’ gallon of hand sanitizer on my desk, and I recommend you do the same. SoftSoap Liquid soap is usually about a dollar. Keep that stuff everywhere and use it. Wash your hands after everything that you may think be germy, and always remember to wash your hands before eating and after sneezing/coughing.
2. Keep your house/room clean.
Clorox Disinfectant wipes are about 3 dollars at Target. Just like your hands, you should be wiping down surfaces pretty frequently—I like to run a wipe over my desk/laptop/phone down at least once a day and just get all of the grime off. Time magazine claims that your phone holds 10x more bacteria than a toilette seat—disgusting. Just give that a good wipe and you’ll cut back on germs considerably.
3. Be Prepared.
We all have our own situations—kids, spouses that refuse to go to the doctor, lack of time to go ourselves—so the most important thing for when you do get sick, is to be prepared. Be sure to keep a stash of over-the-counter medicine so you don’t have to run out. NyQuil is always a saint. Ibuprofen, aspirin, anti-acids, rash cream and any other medications (antihistamines, Epi-pens, etc) should be well stocked for when you get sick.
4. Take Care of Yourself!
Stress can take a huge toll on your autoimmune system. Be sure to be taking time for yourself, whether it’s over a cup of coffee first thing in the morning, or twenty minutes of meditation and yoga, or spend an hour working out for yourself. Put the phone away, turn on some quiet music and take time to find yourself. Your day and those around you will benefit greatly.