The sweet summer days have now left us. With the arrival of autumn, and the resulting drop in temperatures accompanied by increasingly frequent rains, the risk of getting sick also increases. Influenza, coughs, colds and sore throats are just some of the ailments we can run into if we are not careful to carry out good preventive work. Just along these lines in the journal Psychology Today, Canadian physician Susan Biali Haas published the seven basic rules for preventing the onset of the flu symptoms mentioned earlier. Let’s see together what they are.
The 7 rules for good prevention
- Sleep: sleeping well, and for the right amount of time, is a great way to prevent fall flu. For adults, it is recommended to sleep at least 7 hours a day, as lack of sleep causes a significant lowering of immune defenses, exposing our bodies to the risk of getting sick
- Proper Diet: another basic rule is to stick to a healthy and balanced diet. Never skip breakfast and have at least three full meals a day that include fruit and vegetable intake, avoiding foods and drinks that contain high sugar content.
- Sports: physical activity, in addition to its already known benefits, is also useful for flu prevention. Playing sports in fact reactivates blood circulation by boosting our immune system.
- Hand washing: perhaps many of you already know this, but proper hand hygiene can greatly reduce the risk of infection. Therefore, it is important to avoid touching our mouth, nose and eyes if our hands are not perfectly clean.
- Watch out for stress: Another factor to watch out for is stress. In fact, when one is stressed, due to a hectic and restless life, the body puts into circulation a series of hormones that weaken the immune system.
- Laughter: although it may seem unusual to you, but having relationships with people who are pleasant to us, who instill optimism in us, helps strengthen our immune system.
- Avoid the cold: the last rule, which may seem trivial, is perhaps one of the most important. Covering yourself well and avoiding the cold is essential to avoid getting sick. In fact, a warm body will have a better chance of resisting a virus attack.
These are some of the most important tips for enduring this first wave of autumn cold weather to avoid getting sick and seeking medical attention. Increased attention to compliance with these rules is of great importance especially for children, who are often the first “victims” of the fall flu.
