Winter sets in and we all are relieved of heat, we feel nice and comfortable, getting rid of the unwanted perspiring days or sunstrokes. But as the winter sets in what we start dreading is FLU, fever, headaches, body aches, nasal cold, cough, loss of appetite, weakness for days.

Flu can be both respiratory or gastric, affecting many and spreading equally fast. Earlier we used to recover in 3 to 4 days from flu without any medications. But the picture is changing now, the viruses are getting so virulent and resistant, it takes nearly 10 to 15 days, at times even more,even with medicines for the flu to settle down. All this just because with changes in environment, our lifestyle and the changing era our Immunity is getting compromised, we are unable to fight this viral infections, making it graver by each passing day.

So what if we know how to avoid contracting flu this winter, as we all know  Precaution is always better, so how about knowing some few easy steps we can follow to stay healthier this winter.

Keep yourself warm

We all remember our old grannies saying keep yourself warm, she was right keeping yourself warm can help you stay away from coughs, cold and fever during winters. Shivering depresses the immune system and this makes us more likely to catch colds. Also, lower levels of sunlight and altered levels of hormones such as melatonin and serotonin negatively affect how the immune system performs.

Drink plenty

We recommend drink about two litres of water a day to stay healthy. Water helps the kidneys function properly and flushes out the toxins that accumulate in our bodies.'
If you have a cold, being dehydrated makes your mucus drier and thicker and less able to cope against invading bacteria and viruses. If you've already caught a cold, drinking plenty of fluids will help flush out the infection. Rehydration will also help to combat lethargy, malaise and body ache if you have already contracted flu

Wash your hands

Most respiratory infections are mainly carried in the air and transmitted when someone sneezes or coughs, but this germs can be transmitted by physical contact and enter the body when infected hands touch vulnerable parts like our eyes, mouths and noses.

Washing hands often - and drying them on disposable paper towels (or laundering hand towels regularly) - can significantly reduce the chances of catching a virus, especially the rotavirus, which tends to infect children and causes vomiting and diarrhoea (stomach flu).

Watch the weather

Low cloud, dull and misty conditions tend to bring an increase in germs survival rate. 'Viruses survive longer when the weather is moist or there is less sunshine. They can hang in the air attached to water droplets more easily, and when it's cloudy and dull there is no sunshine to kill the germs away.

This is the time when you're more likely to catch something - although you may not notice you've done so until ten to 12 days later, the incubation period for many colds and coughs.

Sleep soundly

Lack of sleep makes us more prone to infection 'But it's not a matter of simply sleeping for longer, as some people - especially those who are positively motivated - can have fewer than seven hours' sleep every night and not suffer at all.

Moods also affect our ability to fight off infections, and if you feel stressed you are more likely to become ill compared to when you're feeling buoyant, happy and relaxed,' he says.

Keep on moving

Keep yourself active during winters. Apart from keeping our circulation going, regular moderate exercise increases the number of natural killer (NK) cells in our bodies.

Herbal help

If your immune system needs pepping up to withstand the winter onslaught of germs, Homeopathy should be an integral part of your daily routine.

Homeopathy helps to boost the immune system in fighting colds and flu, and also as an agent to help heal viral and bacterial infections. Thus the symptoms of flu are controlled in a day or two also without any after effects of long standing malaise, body ache or headache. 
So let’ start an epidemic of health this winter. Stay healthy and stay happy.