5 Surprising ways to avoid getting sick

Feb 18, 2013 3:19 AM by Patricia Conte

Posted in Health & Wellness / Women's Health / Wellness

Each winter, to avoid getting sick, most of us institute several mandatory habits: We wash our hands often, fill up on vitamin C and get our flu shots early. But there are other, more unusual tricks we can try to avoid getting sick. See what you can do to stay healthy in an out-of-the-ordinary way.

Hit the spa

Skip the manicure and made a beeline for the sauna. Evidence shows that saunas may help you get over a cold quicker, making them a delightful way to detox. Not only that, but saunas can reduce the occurrence of colds, too. And if you’re congested, the warm air can open your sinus passages and help you breathe easier.

Plug in a humidifier

Dry air is a downer for a lot of reasons, but even more so because it’s an ideal environment for a virus to thrive. To combat an arid environment (and potentially an illness), make use of a humidifier if there is someone in your home who is sick.

Pucker up

While you might want to refrain from locking lips if your loved one has a cold, kissing when you’re healthy might actually boost your immunity. When you and your sweetie swap spit (literally), you’re exposing yourself to each other’s germs, which can strengthen your immunity.

Listen to some tunes

Music has a wide range of potential health benefits, from reducing stress to improving memory. It can also boost your immunity. Researchers recommend listening to music that really moves you.

Give gargling a go

Gargling with salt water to ease the pain of a sore throat might be old-school advice, but it works. Similarly, Japanese researchers found that gargling with tap water a few times a day when you’re well can help keep you that way and keep colds at bay.

Do all you can to stay healthy this season!

More wellness tips

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Dr. Raj’s simple ways to improve your health in 2013
10 Reasons why kissing is great for your health

Tags: flu prevention health and wellness health benefits health tips illness immune system women's health

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