Cold and flu season is upon us. Each year we seem to confront a new and even more insidious variation of flu. An occasional day off to binge watch your favorite shows is great except with a stuffy nose, painful cough and fever thrown in. Here are some quick tips to help you survive cold and flu season and save those sick days for when you really want to use them.

Get a flu shot

Each year some variation of three basic types of influenza will be the one to cause trouble. The flu vaccine is modified each year to protect us from the one strain experts believe will be the most widespread. Sometimes we might experience some discomfort or minor flu symptoms the day after the shot but it will protect you from the full-blown variety.

Wash your hands…often

Washing your hands will help keep those pesky germs away. Use soap and scrub for at least 20 seconds. Scrub like a surgeon would prior to surgery. Don’t forget between your fingers, backs of your hands and under fingernails too. Wash those hands multiple times a day.

Exercise

Regular exercise will keep your body operating in optimal form. Regular exercise helps keep your immune system strong and a healthy body equals a healthy mind too. Exercise will help you recover from cold and flu faster and make you feel better all year long.

Did we mention washing your hands?

It’s worth mentioning again. This is your first, last and best method of keeping away from germs especially if you work in a large office or use public transportation. You can’t control everyone else’s behavior but you can control yours.

Keep your home clean

Germs can hide in your home on all sorts of surfaces like countertops, desks, doorknobs and even your floors. Clean those things used the most daily. Clean floors weekly. For a deep, long-lasting cleaning, consider using a professional carpet cleaning service like Chem-Dry before flu season begins and afterwards too. Chem-Dry’s Hot Carbonating Extraction process has been proven to remove 89% of airborne bacteria and will remove those hidden germs, dirt and allergens in your carpets.

We hope this tips will help keep you and your family safe and healthy this cold & flu season.