When the weather in Spokane, WA shifts into winter, we think of bad colds and influenza. The flu shot gives us some protection that’s dependent on which strains of flu dominate the season. Sometimes that’s a gamble. The winter of 2017-2018 saw an effectiveness rate of 25 percent. The winter of 2018’s protection rate doubled to about 50%.
The flu shot is the single best weapon against influenza. Flu can easily go from the kind of illness that sidelines you at home for a few weeks to hospitalization, due to its tendency to segue into pneumonia. A flu shot is a vital necessity, but there are some additional means of reducing our vulnerability to illnesses that make winter wretched.
- Wash your hands. Washing your hands isn’t just for before eating and after visits to the bathroom. Our hands accumulate germs rapidly and many of the season’s worst infections love to linger on surfaces for hours. Influenza, the common cold, and all forms of gastroenteritis-causing viruses settle onto surfaces and wait for their next victim to come by. When we touch our face or rub our eyes with our germy hands, the little nasties are ushered into our respiratory tracts. Washing our hands often during cold and flu season helps reduce the risk of infection. Most people touch their face or rub their eyes habitually, and it’s a strangely tough habit to break. Keeping your hands clean is the way to go.
- Get enough good sleep. Getting the right amount of sleep is always a good idea. In the winter, cold weather and reduced opportunities to go outside concentrate illness into enclosed areas. Sleep is the premiere way to restore our bodies and our all-important immune systems.
- Watch what you eat. In winter, cravings for high-carb and sugary foods goes up. These kinds of foods don’t have much nutrition, which makes fighting off illnesses more challenging for your immune system. Foods high in sugar tend to impair the immune system’s responsiveness for several hours after eating them. Add dark green veggies to your diet and increase your protein intake. Proteins are fuel for most of the body’s vital systems, especially for repair and regeneration. Low-fat, low-carb, high protein snacks are a excellent way to level out blood sugar and keep full.
Increase your intake of soluble fiber. That’s the kind of fiber found in apples and nuts. Fiber lowers inflammation, which in turn helps increase your immune system’s responsiveness. Fiber also helps prevent blood sugar spikes.
Finally, add omega-3 fatty acids to your diet. Found in cold-water ocean fish, omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation in the joints and blood vessels. Helping joints work more efficiently is especially important when cold weather prohibits us from getting as much exercise as we’d like.
- Exercise. It’s important to keep up your exercise regimen during the winter months. Exercise keeps your cardiovascular system healthy, boosts your immune system and helps beat depression. As little as 15 minutes of exercise a day produces a significant lift in a person’s mood. Check out in-home exercise routines and “in-place” exercises that you can do in your home or office.
Eat right, sleep well, wash your hands and get a flu shot may lack the pizazz of slugging down the latest supplement, but these few tips will keep you well this winter.
Damaris Aragon, ARNP, BC provides a full spectrum of mental health care to people in Spokane, Washington and the surrounding areas. She focuses on providing compassionate personalized care that adheres to current evidence-based standards. Reach out to Damaris through her contact page or calling 509-342-6592.
