10 Easy and effective ways to prevent colds and coughs

Flu and cough are often common illnesses when the transition season has entered. These two diseases can occur together because the extra mucus produced by the lungs has gone up to the throat. Don't let colds and coughs interfere with your activities. Come on, protect yourself during the changing seasons by following the ways to prevent flu below.

Various ways to prevent flu and cough attacks

Flu is a respiratory disease caused by infection with the influenza virus. The influenza virus itself has various kinds, depending on the type of flu you have. Some of the typical symptoms of flu are cough, runny nose, and sore throat.

Well, here are ways to prevent flu and its symptoms that are important for you to know:

1. Wash hands with soap

Our hands can become a home for germs that cause disease. Noted, there are approximately 5 thousand bacteria that live on the surface of the hand. Therefore, a person can be prone to falling sick if they rarely wash their hands.

Washing hands is one of the most effective ways to prevent catching colds and coughs. But the method is certainly not enough just by washing with water.

You need to know how to wash your hands properly, namely by rubbing your palms with soap for 60 seconds, or 30 seconds with hand sanitizer alcohol based.

Another simple tip is not to shake hands with someone who is sick because it is possible that the person who is coughing and sneezing will cover their mouth with their palms. For this reason, avoid shaking hands with people who are sick with coughs or colds to prevent transmission of coughs and colds.

2. Eat nutritionally and drink enough water

Maintaining a regular diet can help the body boost the immune system as a way to prevent transmission of the flu virus. Complete your daily nutritional needs with nutrients such as antioxidants, which are obtained through vitamin C, fruits, vegetables and tea.

New research published in Journal of the American College of Nutrition mentioned that consumption of mushrooms can increase body immunity. People who eat cooked shitake mushrooms every day for one month show an increase in the production of T lymphocytes which function to increase your body's resistance, so it is a good food to prevent flu symptoms.

Drinking enough water to stay hydrated is also an effective way to prevent flu symptoms.

The recommended fluid requirement for healthy adults is two liters per day, but this fluid requirement will be different for individuals with kidney disorders.

3. Get enough rest

You can do activities, but as much as possible don't overexert your body without resting at all. In addition to stressing you out quickly, being busy without limits will make you sleep deprived.

Being busy too often leads to a lack of sleep. Lack of sleep triggers stress which has a negative impact on health due to decreased performance of the body's immune system.

Studies published in Archives of Internal Medicine found that people who slept less than seven hours were nearly three times more prone to colds than people who slept enough eight hours a day.

Make sure you get enough sleep every night as a way to prevent contracting diseases, including the flu. Getting enough sleep will help your body replenish your stamina for the next day. Thus, you can be more immune from various diseases.

4. Sports

Just one minute of exercise a day can have a real positive impact on your life. Exercise helps sleep better, increases metabolism, burns calories, prevents excess weight, and increases mood so that in the end it helps increase the body's stamina.

Apart from being part of how to prevent colds and coughs, exercise helps reduce emotional stress, increase self-confidence, and make your face and body fresher.

There are many moderate exercises you can choose from if you want to start trying to live a healthier life, such as jogging or walking. The more routine you exercise, the greater the benefits you will get. The duration of exercise recommended by the Indonesian Ministry of Health is 30-45 minutes a day, 3-5 times a week.

5. Don't touch your face

Another way to prevent the flu that is often underestimated by some people is to touch your face less often, especially if you haven't washed your hands.

The flu virus enters the body through the mucosal lining of the eyes, nose and mouth, so it is not recommended that you touch your face because you do not know if you have a virus on your hands that causes coughs or colds.

If you have a friend or family member at home who is sick, it is a good idea to limit your direct interactions with that person. You can ask them to wear a mask during the flu and take a break until they are completely healed.

6. Use a mask

The flu virus can be transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person easily through droplets when talking, coughing, or sneezing. Saliva droplets containing this virus can be inhaled directly by the nose or stick to the hands until they finally enter the body.

The virus, which is small in size, can still escape if you wear a regular mask, such as surgical mask . However, using a mask can at least reduce exposure to the virus, and is a better way to prevent colds than not wearing a mask at all.

7. Get the influenza vaccination

Another way to prevent flu that is no less important is to get an influenza vaccination.

According to the recommendations of the Indonesian Internal Medicine Association (PAPDI) in 2017, the influenza vaccine is the recommended vaccine for 1 dose per year for the age group of 19 years to over 65 years of age.

8. Reduce direct contact with sick people

If a friend or family member at home is sick, it is a good idea to limit direct interactions with that person as a way to prevent colds and coughs. You can ask a sick person to rest first until their condition recovers and wear a temporary mask.

You should also avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with your hands frequently and wash immediately if you have to treat someone who has the flu.

9. Have a special flu guide during the trip

When the body is tired or not feeling well, the immune system is weakened, which indicates that the body's defenses are decreasing, making you more susceptible to disease.

If you are not feeling well, you should first cancel your intention to take a long trip. Postpone your plans to travel until conditions improve as a preventative measure for influenza.

How to prevent the current flu traveling You can do this by always carrying cold medicines, such as pain relievers and fever relievers, and medical equipment. This is highly recommended for those of you whose body condition is not fit or do have certain health problems, which need to take medication regularly. Intake of fluids and nutritious food while traveling can prevent flu by strengthening the immune system.

10. Caring for people with flu properly

If you have to care for someone who has the flu, note that you need to wash your hands and avoid touching your face. According to WHO, there are five times when you are obliged to wash your hands when treating a patient, namely as follows.

• Before touching the patient.
• Before performing a patient cleaning procedure
• After being exposed to the patient's body fluids
• After touching the patient
• After touching objects around the patient

It is also recommended that you teach cough etiquette to the patient. You need to know this method in order to prevent flu transmission. Cough ethics recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is to cover the nose and mouth with a mask or tissue. If not available, cover your mouth when coughing with the inside of your elbow as a way to prevent influenza.