Prevention's Against the Flu & Cold

It's that time of year again when you are buying more and more boxes of tissues, your eyes start watering, your nose starts running, and you need to make multiple cups of hot tea and buy many bottles of water. This is the beginning of the cold and flu season and it hits you right out of nowhere!

For our pregnant ladies out there, we want you to take some extra precautions: Pregnancy causes your immune system to be slightly weakened due to the body working hard to keep the baby strong and healthy!

Here are a few prevention tips to keep clear of the cold and flu:

- The first step to take for both your protection and the baby’s is to get the flu shot: this will only ward off flu germs; therefore, you may still be at risk for catching a cold. The flu shot will help strengthen your immune system to help fight off other germs that might try and catch you.

- Always wash your hands with soap and water! This is highly important and we cannot stress this enough! You will want to wash your hands immediately after coming into contact with germs, for example, after using a public restroom. Many people will be using the facilities and some (dare I say!) do not wash their hands. Always keep in mind that the door handles will have the most germs. For your protection, we would suggest that after washing your hands use an extra paper towel to open the doorknob in order to keep away from direct contact with germs. If there is no soap and water available for you to use, always keep a small bottle of hand sanitizer, this will definitely save your day and help kill those germs. 

-  Keep your body well hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids; water is the best for hydration because it helps to flush toxins out of your system and keeps you nice and healthy. If you do happen to get sick, staying well-hydrated is just as important for your recovery.

- Avoid people who are already sick. If someone is coughing or sneezing, keep your distance. Likewise, if you are sick and contagious, take time to rest at home so you can get better and not spread germs to those you come in contact with.

- Do not touch your eyes and mouth. The germs can easily infect you through those areas since they are open and will have direct contact with the germs, easily penetrating the body’s defenses. 

- Make sure to get enough sleep! Getting at least 7-9 hours per night will also help strengthen your immune system. If you are sleep deprived, this will have negative effects on your body and will cause your immune system to weaken.