It’s common for an average adult to catch a cold or flu 3-4 times a year and children are twice as likely to develop them. A cold lasts for about a week and the flu lasts longer but is less common as compared to the cold. This basically means, having to struggle through work or school with nearly zero productivity. The best way to curb the chances of developing a cold or flu is to prevent it. If you hate being unwell and missing time at work to illness instead of a holiday, dive right in for tips to prevent cold and flu.

Avoid People Down with a Cold
While we already know this, it’s best to not shake hands, share food, or even share the same ride with people who have a cold. Also, be considerate to keep distance if you’re coming down with a cold or fever. Staying at home is very important and so is maintaining a safe distance when outside.

Wash Your Hands Frequently
Cold and flu spread easily through the aerosol droplets released from coughing or sneezing, and your hands are the only body parts that can touch your nose and mouth through which you may cause the infection to spread. So, ensure to wash hands at every opportunity you get when outdoors or around a sick person.

Use Disinfectants
It’s a great idea to carry a disinfectant along with a sanitizer in crowded places. You can carry it wherever you need to go to disinfect your desk. This will help keep your surroundings clean and cultivate a good habit that others could take inspiration from.

Be Well Rested
Getting enough rest won’t prevent you from being infected by the virus but will prevent your immune system from weakening, which in turn will help your body ward off the cold and flu. This means you must avoid frequent all-nighters and make sure you get the right amount of sleep.

Eat Healthily
Following a well-balanced diet along with getting good rest boosts the immunity that helps you withstand influenza better. So, you must try and get as much sleep and nutrients and it’s the best way to keep from many illnesses.

Get Some Exercise
The habit of indulging in regular exercise draws many benefits. It improves mood, boosts immunity, increases productivity, reduces stress to name a few. All these aspects combined contribute to preventing not just the cold and flu but a variety of many other diseases.

Get Vaccinated
You can opt for flu shots every year if you think you’re more likely to catch a cold than others. There are several types of vaccines available, some of them include Agrippal, Fluarix and Influvac, Vaxigrip. Discuss it with your general physician to make a more informed choice.

Avoid Alcohol
Alcohol can weaken your immune system substantially, so steer clear of such beverages. Also, other habits like smoking and substance abuse can have no good outcome for your health. In fact, getting a vaccine won’t have any or very less impact on patients who are addicted to any of these habits.