Avoid contagions this sick season

RICARDO PADILLA / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Amanda Watkins

The Silhouette

Right after Christmas and right before Valentine’s Day is not just the time of year when single people wallow in self pity.

It’s also the time when viruses and bacteria wallow in the halls using sneezes and saliva as transportation to their next victims.

It’s a time when used and crumpled Kleenex is littered throughout the libraries and the amount of coughs echoing through the streets make it feel as though the black plague is upon us. Yes, it’s flu season.

When this time of the year comes around, it is necessary to take on a new set of precautions that will prevent us from becoming weighed down with the burden of excess mucus and pockets full of throat lozenges.

Thus, here are five simple steps to follow that involve no more than a bar of soap and a trip to Fortinos.

Get a head start on your hot summer “bod” - Exercise regularly: 

Every year we all set the goal of exercising more and getting healthier.

Well, there’s no time like the present to start working out those muscles to stay healthy all while getting fit for bikini season (or, if you’re a guy: speedo season).

Exercise helps keep our lungs and heart healthy which will in turn help us ward off lung-related infections and keep us feeling refreshed and energetic.

There is no better way to avoid infections than through natures fighting off of bacteria with a healthy system.

Don’t touch other people: 

It’s an urge that we all feel the need to succumb to every now and again but should be avoided during this time of the year.

It may be difficult to hold back the need to hug that friend we haven’t seen in a week or to replace the usual handshake when meeting new people with a casual wave.

But to prevent the spread of unwanted germs we need to stop touching each other as much as we do.

Get out more (while still avoiding touching other people): 

If you’re ever feeling depressed during these cold dark times it is likely that these strong emotions may cause you to feel sick, tired and more stressed than normal.

To help feel a bit better during the cold weather, it helps to go outside, soak up some sun and spend time with your friends and family. Being around other people will allow you to talk about your feelings and have some fun to offset the sadness and the rays of sunshine will boost your spirits with a dose of much needed Vitamin D.

Wash Your Hands (just in case you do touch other people): 

After working out in a public place and trying to get out more to avoid Seasonal Affective Disorder, it is possible that rule number two may have been broken a few times and we have come into contact with several people and several different settings.

If this is the case, it is important to wash your hands before doing anything like eating, preparing food or caressing your face.

Although you can’t eliminate germ transfers, you can limit them with the simple soap and water process of frequent hand washing.

Eat Well (but only after you’ve washed your hands): 

If you’re hungry and have recently washed your hands, instead of reaching for a meal loaded with saturated fats and hydrogenated oil, try a more balanced diet that contains elements from every food group along with the important vitamins our bodies need.

Scientifically controlled studies using vitamin C for colds have shown that it can reduce the severity of cold symptoms, acting as a natural antihistamine.

Similarly, vitamin E has been proven adept at regulating your whole cardiovascular system.

To ensure that your body is healthy enough to ward off viruses and infections, it is a necessity to purchase vitamin-rich foods the next time you’re at your local grocery store.

So don’t forget to follow these steps now that cold weather and influenza is upon us.

And even though this time of the year is also when single people slip into a state of bleak sadness, it really should be the opposite.

Because let’s face it, we single people are usually the ones who are hitting up the gym five times a week, eating healthily, and coming into little to no physical contact with people. Boo-yah.