5 Ways to Fall into a Healthy Autumn

It’s that time of the year again when pumpkin spice and cinnamon fills the room, when cozy sweaters are a necessity and a tinge of briskness is in the air. Unfortunately, autumn is also the time when pesky flu germs come out of hiding, and you’re left with a pumpkin spice latte in one hand and tissues in the other.

Keep reading to learn how you can ‘fall’ into a healthy autumn:

1. Wash your hands.

It’s probably obvious, but washing your hands several times a day is essential to preventing illnesses from being passed to one person to the next. You should wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with hot, soapy water.

2. Eat seasonal, whole foods

Eating a well-balanced diet will give you energy and keep your body healthy during the ‘sick’ season. While fall might be intimidating to some with its chilly temperatures, there’s loads of delicious, healthy produce out there for folks to explore with cooking and baking. From pumpkins to squash and crisp apples, these seasonal fruits and veggies will make you and your body happy and healthy.

3. Get outside, stay active

Though the temperatures may be a bit crisp, it’s important that folks stay active during the colder months. Routinely exercising will not only increase your energy levels but also boosts your immune system. So, get out, take a nice brisk walk or run. Or, if possible, try an indoor activity, like basketball, yoga or going to the gym.

4. Plenty of sleep

Getting plenty of sleep is required all-year-round but is especially important when viruses are more susceptible to be passed from person to person. Adults should get at least seven hours of sleep to stay healthy and focused during the day.

5. Get a flu shot.

Getting the flu shot can save you the time of being miserably sick and missing days of work. The Centers for Disease Control recommends that folks should get a flu vaccine before the flu begins spreading in the community. It takes roughly two weeks after the vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body.  With that said, the CDC recommends that people get a flu vaccine by the end of October. And luckily, flu shots are inexpensive and won’t take too much time out of your busy workday.

Fall can be a time to slow down a bit from the busy summer season. But remember to take care of yourself during flu season and speak with your provider if you have any concerns about the upcoming months.