it manages to sneak up on us every year before we know it flu season will be
upon us again according to the National Institutes of Health the influenza virus
otherwise known as the flu affects up to 20% of people living in the United
States every year with that in mind what can you do to make sure you're fully
prepared this flu season first make sure you're all caught up on your annual
vaccinations then come back and watch this video on how to deal with influenza
also be sure to subscribe to besties and wring the notification belt to stay up
to date on all our daily videos and content while the flu can make you sick
we promise that you'll never get sick of us when making preparations for flu
season one of the first things you should do is make sure you know how to
recognize the tell-tale warning signs of the influenza virus the flu shares many
of its most common symptoms with the common cold and as a result it can be
fairly easy to mistake one for the other as a general rule of thumb however
symptoms of the flu usually happen quicker than they do for a cold and are
usually much more severe as well according to health line early symptoms
and warning signs of the flu include any of the following a runny nose coughing
fatigue sudden fever a scratchy or sore throat chills muscle or body aches if
you or anyone you know starts experiencing these symptoms around flu
season it's probably the first sign that you should get yourself or them checked
out another thing to consider is that while a sudden fever is commonly one of
the early symptoms of the flu not everyone who contracts the flu will
experience a fever so now you know how to identify the most common calling
cards of the influenza virus however that still doesn't give you much
information on what to do once you start experiencing these symptoms if you
suspect that you're starting to come down with a case of the
blue you should begin to carry out the following steps in order to give
yourself the fastest possible recovery as well as to minimize the chance of
accidentally spreading the virus to others wash your hands frequently we
cannot stress this one enough people washing your hands is one of the most
effective ways that you can minimize and prevent the spread of the influenza
virus Health Line recommends that the most efficient way to wash your hands to
prevent the spread of germs is to scrub with soap and water for at least 20
seconds before rinsing don't cough or sneeze into your hands seriously you'd
be surprised as to how many people overlook this seemingly obvious piece of
personal hygiene if you sneeze or cough into your hand all that's going to
accomplish is guarantee that your flu virus and other germs will be spread to
whatever surface you touch with that hand it's gross and unhygenic instead
it's recommended that you direct your coughs and sneezes into the crook of
your arm by which we mean the inside part of your elbow or into a disposable
tissue if you do slip up and sneeze into your hands make sure to wash them as
soon as possible it's not rocket science stay hydrated
drinking lots of fluids especially water tea and drinks that are high in
electrolytes will help push you towards a speedier recovery drinks to avoid or
anything that contains alcohol caffeine or an overabundance of sugar eat healthy
by making sure your body is getting all the essential nutrients it requires you
can make sure your immune system is firing on all cylinders to help you get
rid of the flu faster this can be a difficult one in practice as having the
flu tends to diminish your appetite but small meals that incorporate lots of
fruits and veggies will help you make a faster recovery call insec remember how
we said you should avoid spreading the influenza virus to other people one of
the most guaranteed ways to avoid infecting others with the flu is to stay
away from them if you have a contagious illness your employer should be
understanding when you say you can't make it in for work that day no sense um
put at risk of infection just for the sake
of keeping a perfect attendance record at the office stock up on the essentials
a few useful things to have in your anti-influenza toolkit include tissues
decongestants over-the-top pain relievers and cough suppressants as well
as plenty of fluids and healthy foods like we mentioned earlier if you're not
filling up for a trip to the pharmacy though you might want to ask a friend or
a loved one to make a pickup for you instead which brings us to our final
point stay home we get it you think you're tough as nails a couple of
lozenges and suddenly you feel like you're ready to take on the world again
well sorry to tell you this but things don't really work that way the best way
to kick the influenza virus is to stay home and get plenty of rest now that you
have a comprehensive list of all the things you should do when you have the
flu what about the things that you shouldn't do some of these things might
be a little bit on the obvious side but when it comes to your health these
things always bear repeating if you're coming down with the flu here
are some things you should try not to do don't go to work or school again not
only should you stay home and rest but showing up to work or school will only
make you more likely to spread your contagious illness to others in fact
you'll most likely have already entered the contagious phase of the virus a day
or two before you even start to show symptoms to minimize the risk of
spreading your germs just stay home avoid physical contact try to avoid
handshakes or hugs until you're sure you've made a full recovery
physical contact will only give the virus even more ways to spread to
potential new victims so please reduce the risk to both
yourself and others and keep your hands off this one should also be fairly
obvious but avoid sharing food or drinks with other people during the flu season
as well or just like in general Joey doesn't share food avoid certain foods
processed foods and foods that are high in sugar don't offer up all that much
nutritional value and won't be able to contribute much to your immune system
it's best to stick to healthier foods instead
don't skip meals like we said before being sick will probably take away most
of your appetite but your body still requires nutrition in order to fight off
the virus you can eat smaller meals than normal but don't skip out altogether
avoid crowds if we sound like a broken record it's only because we can't stress
this enough being in crowded places will only make your virus that much easier to
spread to others if you don't already have the flu avoid crowds in the flu
season to make sure nobody there spreads it to you either be cautious with
unproven herbal remedies according to Health Line herbal remedies and
supplements are not scrutinized by the FDA for things such as quality packaging
and safety if you want to try one of these remedies and make sure you're
getting it from a reputable source or ask a medical professional for a
recommendation don't smoke since the flu affects your respiratory system smoking
will only serve to irritate your lungs and make your symptoms worse I mean
there are plenty of other reasons why you shouldn't smoke but you probably
already know most of them right don't push yourself seriously just stay home
and get some rest influenza is a progressive virus which
means that the symptoms you experience will most likely get worse before they
get better the more you try to fight your symptoms
the worse they'll get so take it easy for a couple of days the only exception
to staying at home and resting should be if you are either considered high-risk
for influenza related complications or if you are experiencing symptoms that
are more severe than the ones previously mentioned people at a higher risk for
flu related complications include people over the age of 65 children under the
age of 2 people with chronic medical conditions such as asthma diabetes or
heart disease people with compromised immune systems pregnant women or women
up to two weeks postpartum and residents of nursing homes for severe symptoms and
warning signs of an emergency be on the lookout for difficulty breathing
shortness of breath chest pain confusion assistant vomiting or sudden dizziness
for infants and children severe flu symptoms may include bluish skin
irritability a fever that accompanies a rash trouble breathing and inability to
eat or drink or crying without tears additionally if your flu symptoms don't
get better after two weeks or if you start to recover and then suddenly feel
worse this means that a complication may have occurred in this case you should go
see a doctor right away hopefully this list will leave you
feeling a little more prepared for the next time flu season rolls around did
you find this information useful do you have any other tips or suggestions that
you think are worth sharing if so feel free to drop a comment in the comment
section below and keep the conversation going
also make sure to start sharing this video again whenever flu season starts
you never know who might need to see this enjoyed this video hit the like
button and share with your friends also subscribe to our channel for more videos
like this thanks for watching