Top 5 Ways to Avoid the Common Cold

We've all had that cold were the aches and pains are sometimes unbearable. Going to work or school is out of the question, and the only thing that seems logical to do is to lay on the couch all day. Many times, the common cold can be avoided with minimal effort. There are little things we can do in our everyday lives that help to prevent colds and dramatically reduce the amount of germs we come in contact with. Germs are a unavoidable, but if we simply reduce out contact with them, we run a way better chance of not getting sick.

Wash Your Hands - We pick up many germs throughout the course of a day. Door knobs, remote controls, shaking hands and even our computer keyboards are home to different germs. We probably come in contact with these on a daily basis and transfer our own germs to these items as well. By simply stopping and washing our hands two, three, even four times a day can take car of those germs so they are not passed on to others, or allowed to infect our immune system. Also, new on the market in recent years is hand wash that doesn't require water. Personally, I keep a small bottle of this in my desk and around at home. It's simple to use, and claims to kill 99.9% of daily germs.

Take Your Vitamins - We were taught at a young age by our mothers and grandmothers to take our vitamins. Vitamin C is the best supplement to take as it boosts the immune system and helps to fight off germs and minor infections. 1000 milligrams a day should do the trick, but if you feel like you might be coming down with something, up the dosage. Even if you get sick, Vitamin C will help your body to fight the sickness and could shorten the duration of your cold. Also, a good Multi-Vitamin can help too. It contains a variety of supplements that the body needs to help protect itself from infection. These vitamins can be found at any drug store, CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens, or even Target or Walmart.

Eat Right - The importance of a good diet often goes overlooked. Healthy foods contain high levels of disease fighting vitamins and antioxidants. Any vegetables or greens offer a good source of healthy nutrients and should be consumed on a daily basis. If you can consume these without cooking them, then all the better. Cooking vegetables often removes some of the potency of the nutrients. Veggies such as carrots, celery, lettuce, and radishes don't need to be cooked to be eaten and offer great sources of vitamins and nutrients. In addition, fruits often carry Vitamin C and valuable nutrients for a healthy body. As a bonus fruits and vegetables make for a good healthy snack.

Exercise - No, it's not the easiest thing to find time and energy in a day to exercise. But, it can be one of the biggest difference-makers in fighting disease. Keeping the immune system up and running at a healthy level requires exercise. Exercise gets the heart rate up for a period of time allowing nutrients and vitamins to be distributed though out the bod via blood cells. Also, exercise keeps the heart in shape so that it pumps blood and nutrients with ease. Our body is run by the brain, and our brain requires blood to operate. If the heart is pumping blood like it should be, our brain is functioning properly and can fight disease easier.

Stay Warm - Although there has never been any concrete evidence that being cold causes you to become sick, it does force the body to redirect it's energy to help keep it warm, thus lowering it's defenses against germs. To a point, staying warm will help to keep you from coming down with a cold. So, if your home is chilly or you plan on being out in the cold for a prolonged period, dress warm. It certainly can't hurt, and it might even save you from having to miss work the next day!

Use these tips in your everyday, winter routine and you just might have your very first cold-free year!