By: Dr. Riffat Sadiq, CEO, WNY Medical PC

 Now, we aren’t in the clear just yet, although summer is just around the corner flu season is still here and with the constant weather change—we need to be prepared for all the sickness that comes with it. Flu season is a serious health concern that can affect people of all ages, no one is exempt from this kind of season.

Knowing this, we must understand how to avoid getting sick and what we must do to prevent it to the best of our ability to help not only ourselves, but those around us as well. Here are some of our tips to staying flu-free for the rest of the season, and hopefully something you can take on to the rest of the seasons to come!

Drink Water

Yes, we mean it! Drinking water is essential to staying healthy and ensuring your health is in the best condition that it can be. You can even add in a lemon for some flavor and get some additional vitamin C! Drinking at least two liters of water a day will boost your immunity as it naturally eliminates bacteria within your body that can cause infection; drinking water can also solve small problems that come with the flu such as headaches and dizziness!

Honey is More Than Sweet

There can be more benefits to honey than many may realize, as this can be used as an easy at home remedy for when you aren’t feeling well. A minimum of two teaspoons a day of honey in warm water can go a long way. This drink can help detox your body, help with inflammation, and soothe a sore throat—you can even spice the drink up with some cinnamon and cloves.

Stuck with an annoying cough? Honey can help with that too! A small amount of crushed black pepper in a teaspoon of honey can get rid of that pesky cough sooner than you’d expect! Using these at home remedies and herbs are an easy way to boost immunity and prevent the flu right from the comfort of your home.

Go To the Doctor

Making sure you are doing the necessary check-ins with your doctor is extremely important, but especially so during the flu season. Do not hesitate to schedule a visit in person or by telemedicine with your primary care doctor when you aren’t feeling well. Staying up to date with your vaccinations is equally as important, if you haven’t done so already, schedule an appointment

to get the annual flu shot. Receiving this will reduce how badly you can be affected by of a variety of illnesses—not just the flu. The flu shot encourages safety not only

for yourself, but for those

around you.

Taking care of yourself now can make sure you are not as likely to catch other dire illnesses like pneumonia, or things of that nature, that the flu season can bring on. It is also as important to stay away from those who are already sick, and if that is not an option, masks should always be worn. 

Prevention is key, it is important that we are all taking the necessary steps to staying healthy and keeping away from the flu season as much as possible! We hope these tips are helpful and are easy to apply this season and the next!