The fall season brings the perfect opportunity to refocus on your health and well-being. With the added challenge of the flu season approaching, it’s more important than ever to focus on ways to stay healthy and protected from illness. Today, we will explore five habits you can add to your daily routine to help keep you and your family healthy and happy this fall season!
Practice good hand hygiene
Since most people spend a lot more time indoors in the cooler months, flu and other viruses can spread faster than during the warmer summer months. Because of this, practicing good hand hygiene is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to protect yourself from illness. Make it a habit to wash your hands thoroughly and frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Carrying hand sanitizer everywhere you go is a good idea, just in case you cannot get to a sink to wash. Try a fun seasonal hand soap or sanitizer scent to bring fall joy into the routine!
Get plenty of rest
Getting enough quality sleep is important to maintaining a strong immune system and keeping you healthy. Children 12 years and younger usually need nine to 12 hours of sleep, while children 13 and older and adults need between seven and 10 hours each night. Creating a calming bedtime routine can help you unwind and make sure you wake up refreshed and ready to tackle your day!
Focus on eating healthy
Fall is known as the season of harvest because many of the crops that are planted and grown in summer are ready to, well, harvest! Because of this, many delicious and nutritious meals are associated with fall. Warm dishes like chili, soups and casseroles are great options, especially when they include fresh seasonal vegetables like carrots, potatoes, broccoli and pumpkin. Adding fall fruits like apples and cranberries into your diet can also help your overall health since they are packed with vitamins and antioxidants that help you stay strong and healthy.
What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants are natural (and sometimes synthetic) substances found in food like fruits and vegetables. Research suggests that eating a diet that has a lot of antioxidant-rich foods is healthy and can help lower the risk of certain diseases.
Stay active, both indoors and out
Keeping up with your routines, including physical fitness, is important to stay healthy. We know spending time outside can help our mental and physical health, so don’t let the cooler fall temperatures keep you from enjoying outdoor activities. Grab a friend, walk around your community and take in the season’s sights, smells and feel! If the temperature is too cool for you, try an indoor workout! Plenty of YouTube videos have exercises for people of all fitness levels. Whatever you do, stay active!
Get your flu shot
When you think of fall, you probably think about flu season. Even though the flu is often mild, it can cause serious issues for many people, especially children under two years old, those with chronic conditions and those 65 and older. Plan to get your flu shot early, preferably before flu season starts. This will help protect you when flu season starts to peak. Everyone older than six months should get the flu vaccine every year.
HealthLinc offers flu shots at no cost to insured and uninsured patients during an office visit. The flu vaccine costs $25 for uninsured patients without an office visit. You can schedule an appointment by calling 1-888-580-1060. If you are not a patient, you can get the flu shot at one of our HealthLinc Pharmacy locations in Valparaiso and Mishawaka.