(NAPSA)-Recent cold and flu outbreaks are causing many Americans to look for ways to improve their chances of staying healthy.
More than 55 percent miss up to five workdays a year due to illness, according to a new survey, The Stay Well Report. While home remedies and over-the-counter medication may relieve some symptoms after a cold or flu has set in, many are looking to the experts for preventative tactics.
Lisa A. Hark, Ph.D, RD, Director of the Nutrition Education Program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia, is one of those experts who stresses the importance of practicing healthier habits every day to avoid the cold and flu. “Beginning with the morning commute, throughout the day and after work, there are steps you can take to not only guard yourself against the cold and flu, but also to improve your overall health.”
Hark offers the following tips to increase your chances of staying healthy:
Practice good nutrition. Drinking antioxidant-rich beverages can help maintain a healthy immune system, which helps your body fight against cold and flu.
Avoid close contact. Cold and flu viruses are most easily spread when in close quarters with those who are sick. Avoid contact with sick people on buses and other forms of public transportation as much as possible during cold and flu season. Don't be like the 37 percent surveyed in The Stay Well Report who refuse to take sick days. If you're sick, stay home from work to help prevent giving viruses to others and wash your hands often to minimize transfer of cold viruses.
Get some fresh air. Even when it's cold out, it's important to venture outdoors often for some fresh air. The body is more vulnerable to viruses if constantly indoors. Germs circulate easily in crowded and heated rooms and central heating dries the lining of the nose, making you more susceptible to infection. Try to get out for a few minutes during your lunch hour.
Fit in exercise. Aerobic exercise can help keep the body and its immune system strong. If you don't have time to hit the gym every day, try incorporating heart-pumping activities into your daily routine, such as parking your car in the back of the parking lot, taking the stairs, or walking around the block on your lunch break.
Dr. Hark's advice works best when combined with a well-balanced diet. Incorporate these factors into an everyday routine for a chance to stay healthy.
