8 secrets healthy people know
It happens each year like clockwork.
Fall arrives and ushers in a flurry of cold and flu symptoms. Sniffling. Sneezing. Joint pain. Headaches. Just thinking about it makes you queasy, which is another symptom.
To add insult to injury, while you’re suffering, there’s always someone – a co-worker, a friend, a relative – who hasn’t experienced any of it. If they do get sick, it’s over quickly and without much fuss. What’s their secret?
Experts say there are ways to reduce your risk of getting sick this season. Follow these suggestions from Dr. John Beckerman, a pediatrician at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, Ill. He bases his tips on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They might not guarantee perfect health, but they will boost your odds of beating the bug.
- Wash your hands often.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth (that’s how germs get in).
- Clean and disinfect surfaces or objects you’re going to touch.
- Avoid close contact, especially with people who are sick.
- Get plenty of sleep.
- Get some physical activity every day.
- Eat nutritious food.
- Take a daily multi-vitamin.
While each of these tips is important, Dr. Beckerman says your best protection against influenza is a flu shot.
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About the Author
Kathleen Troher, health enews contributor, is manager of public affairs and marketing at Advocate Good Sheperd Hospital in Barrington. She has more than 20 years of journalism experience, with her primary focus in the newspaper and magazine industry. Kathleen graduated from Columbia College in Chicago, earning her degree in journalism with an emphasis on science writing and broadcasting. She loves to travel with her husband, Ross. They share their home with a sweet Samoyed named Maggie.
