How to avoid getting sick (and what to do once you are)

No one likes being sick. Well, maybe sometimes it’s fun to curl up with your tissues and some Netflix, but that’s really just making the best of it. But when cold and flu season comes along, you don’t have to be left defenceless. Here are our tips on how to avoid getting sick this season.

What is flu season?

First off though, why do we get sick in the winter? Aren’t germs floating around all year? In the United States, flu season peaks in February and ends in March, according to Harvard University. But in the southern hemisphere, flu season is from June to September. Why? Because where there is winter, there’s flu. That being said, cold doesn’t create the flu, it only contributes to its spread. The reasons why sickness ramps up in winter are actually believed to be:

• We spend more time inside together, breathing in the same air and leading to the spread of the virus.
• Less sunlight = less vitamin D = less powerful immune systems for virus fighting.
• It’s possible that the flu virus thrives in colder, drier climates.

Wash or sanitize?

Washing your hands — and washing them often — is the best way to kill germs and stop the spread of viruses and bacteria, according to the Centers for Disease Control. In their guide to when and how to wash your hands in order to stay healthy, some of the CDCs recommendations include before, during and after preparing food, and before eating it, (psst...our naturally Antibacterial Kitchen Hand Wash is not just for the kitchen) and after touching animals or their pet food, after touching garbage, blowing your nose, or being around others who are sick. Plus, after the bathroom of course.

Opt for sanitizer when hand washing isn’t an option. They don’t get rid of all germs and are less effective on hands that are visibly soiled. When using hand sanitizer, make sure to rub your palms together, then the surfaces of your hands and fingers until the gel is dry, about 20 seconds.

How best to hand wash?

To make the most of your hand washing, do it right. Here are more science-backed instructions from the CDC:

1. Wet your hands

2. Apply soap and work into a lather. Make sure to get in between your fingers, on the backs of your hands and under your nails.

3. Scrub scrub scrub! For at least 20 seconds (hint: that’s singing “Happy Birthday” in your head, twice).

4. Rinse well under running water.

5. Dry your hands (with a towel or air dry).

What about face masks?

And no, we don’t mean the hydrating kind. With the recent outbreak of the coronavirus, the New York Times dug into whether or not wearing those white surgical masks protects you from catching the virus. The short answer? Yes. When used properly, they will “block most large respiratory droplets from other people’s sneezes and coughs from entering your mouth and nose,” Dr. Amesh Adalja told the paper. But don’t go scratching your face under the mask and spreading new germs. The masks are also useful in preventing passing the virus on to others. The bottom line, however, is consistent hand washing and avoiding people who are ill are the best ways to stay healthy.

Too late? Here’s what you can do

So you caught a cold, and now you want to ease your body. Here are some natural ways to ease your aches, pains and stuffy noses. If you have the flu and are in an elevated risk group, speak to a professional.

• Honey! Doctors have found honey to be scientifically proven to help treat cold symptoms.
• Let the menthol, camphor and wintergreen in our Massage Butter soothe your sore muscles, and you can even put some under your nose to try and trick your brain into feeling some nasal congestion relief.
• You can also calm your sore muscles in the bath. Add some Breathe Easy bath salts for extra cold relief.
• “Tissue nose” got you down? Try using some of our Body Butter on the tender red spots of your nose that are irritated from too much blowing.
• Hydrate and sleep. The classics.

What remedies give you the most relief when you’re sick?