5-Minute Friday: How to Avoid Cold & Flu Season

It’s that time of year again when the sniffles sing and the coughs ring. There are a few things that you can do to try and combat these pesky illnesses so you don’t have to miss your favorite holiday celebrations.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, team, it's begun. The acceptance that cold and flu
season is upon us, and the act of stalking up
on tissues and pseudo fed become second nature. A sniffle here,
a sniffle there. Oh no, I'm fine, you say, and
it becomes the most used line amongst coworkers. Anyone else
find it uncanny that illnesses still go around offices in

(00:20):
a remote environment. There's something they're not telling us about
the screen barrier. Each year, as the leaves float to
the ground and the days grow shorter, we concede to
the common cold. Though, what if you skip cold and
flu season this year and really every year after. What
if there was almost a sure proof way to avoid
what's seemingly become a way of life. There are typically
three essential daily habits that get disrupted as October and

(00:42):
November bloom and we enter a slew of NonStop celebrations
through the end of the calendar year. Though, if you
go against the grain and stay committed making these a priority,
you just might make it out of the season without
a sniffle on site. Emphasize the following three things throughout
the winter months. Number one sunlight exposure. I'll be the
first to admit how difficult it becomes to catch fall

(01:04):
and winter rays. As I flicker on my desk lamp
at six oh four pm, they'll alast. The sun does rise,
and you should do your best to wake up with it. Ideally,
twenty minutes of exposure first thing in the morning and
twenty minutes at night is the daily protocol. It keeps
circadium rhythm intact. Bonus points if you can spare more.
The important thing here is to get your body synced
with the sun for better sleep. Better sleep equates to

(01:25):
better recovery. Better recovery equates to better daily readiness. Here's
your regular reminder that sleep is the best defense you
can give yourself. Number two, avoid sugar. I'd argue that
cold and flu season can be adjusted to sugar season.
Think about it. First, it's Halloween and you're dipping into
the stash you swore you'd save for the trigger treaters.

(01:45):
Then it's the month of pies, followed by the invasion
of gingerbread men. You're washing them down with a glass
of wine or eggnog, and your gym sneakers desperately cry
from the closet. By the time January one rolls around you,
swear off sweets and take another stab at the new
and improved you. You're now fighting for your life an
overcrowded dumbbell rack. Don't be that guy or gal. Skip

(02:06):
the sugar and keep your inflammation down. Maintaining low levels
of inflammation tremendously helps with the decreased risk of illness.
Number three, no shocker here. Rest seriously Rest. I don't
know if it's been in grain since school days at
September is some sort of starting line for a four
months sprint. But you've got to learn to pace yourself.

(02:27):
Power down the laptop, go for a walk, get to
bed on time, and give your body the rest it
needs as the day's slow. I often talk about allowing
your body to do the same. If we ran at
summer speed three hundred and sixty five days of the year,
we'd burn a hole on the floor. Wind down for
the week. You did enough today, promise. In the pursuit
of better fitness and health, it's important to keep in

(02:48):
mind what habits you can acquire outside of the gym
to ensure you stay consistent with your sessions in it
until next time.