3 tips for preventing cold & flu

As we enter into Winter we think of rugging up, coming inside, turning on the heater, and pretty much hibernating. The problem with all this warmth and cosiness is that germs love the warmth and closeness of the season. So how do you, your kids, and your family stay healthy this Winter?

There are three things that doctors agree on which help prevent olds and flus moving from one person to another. The great thing is that kids from as young as 2 can learn these things. If there’s one thing parents know is that little ones seem to be germ magnets. But these 3 tips will help that.

Wash your hands

It seems crazy but washing hands is the simplest way to stop the spread of germs. We’re not just talking about after going to the toilet, but there are other times where washing hands help stop the spread of colds & flu.

Wash hands after blowing your nose or coughing.

Try as we might, we aren’t as careful as we think. Small particles spread to our hands when we blow our nose or cough. Washing hands after we cough or blow our nose removes these particles that could contain the cold or flu virus. By washing them away, we stop them from being spread to tables, chairs, door handles, or other things we touch.

Cough or sneeze into your elbow

Sounds weird I know but there is good reason behind this.

The inside (crook) of your elbow covers a larger area than your hand. The other thing is that you generally don’t use this area of your body to touch things.

So coughing or sneezing into your elbow does two things, it collects more virus particles and it is generally not used and so won’t be spreading the disease.

Eat well & drink plenty of water

This one can be hard with fussy eaters, but ensuring that we get a balanced diet. A rainbow of foods. Then we are more likely to get all the nutrients we need to keep healthy and to fight off an infection. Water is important in removing any toxins and in helping our body to work effectively.

So while these three tips might seem simple and like good common sense, they are, it is often the most simple things that are the most effective.

If you have any other tips, we’d love to hear them.