After a year and a half spent worrying about the Covid-19 pandemic, you would be forgiven for forgetting about that other worldwide viral phenomenon: cold and flu season.
Cold and flu season starts in the fall and continues through the winter when the weather is chilly and the air brisk. Scientists hypothesize that cold and flu season is precipitated by the way we live during these months. People often pack tightly indoors, eat fewer fruits and vegetables, and exercise less.
Whatever the reason, it’s never fun to get sick. Especially now – when a cough of any kind can turn you into a social pariah – it’s wise to take steps toward strengthening your immune system.
Here are a few simple steps to get ahead of cold and flu season.
Download a Hydration App
Staying hydrated is an essential step toward warding off seasonal sicknesses. Water helps your body’s immune system function at an optimal level by facilitating the flow of nutrients through your bloodstream. Hydration also aids in detoxification, allowing your body to flush out any malicious invaders.
Still, some people aren’t great at sticking to a hydration schedule. They routinely neglect their water bottle in favour of other, more exciting drinks. If you have trouble remembering to drink water, consider downloading a hydration app. These apps record your pertinent physical details and create a schedule for when and how much water you should drink. Then, they ping you when it’s time for bottoms up. Here are a few of the best ones.
Add Chaga to Your Morning Ritual
Chaga tea isn’t new. Traditional medical practitioners have turned to the superfood fungus for centuries (perhaps even millennia) for immune system support. As Chaga becomes more mainstream, scientists are reopening their investigation into Chaga’s potential immune-boosting mechanisms.
Many people swear by a hot mug of Chaga tea in the morning to avoid getting sick. The taste is earthy and deep, developing a pleasant complexity with the addition of sweeteners like honey or maple syrup. And unlike coffee, Chaga tea is also hydrating, making it doubly suitable for cold and flu season. You can find Chaga powder online, sold in easy-to-dose sticks (just make sure the label reads “certified organic.”).
Join an Online Yoga Class
After your morning cup of Chaga tea, consider unrolling the yoga mat. Exercise of any kind helps support your immune system by flushing out bacteria, promoting antibody production, improving circulation and more. But yoga carries an added benefit: stress relief.
Stress can significantly compromise an immune system, which is why doctors often advise ill patients to get plenty of rest. Yoga’s focus on breathing and mindfulness goes a long way toward calming your body and mind, allowing the body to do what it does best: fight intruders.
It’s important to note that in-person yoga may have the opposite effect; being surrounded by a room full of breathing bodies may boost your chances of catching something. Instead, find an online yoga class and follow along from the comfort of your home.
Colds and flus are a fact of life. While it may be inevitable that you catch something at some point, you can help decrease the frequency of colds and flus by supporting your immune system.