{"id":4735,"date":"2011-11-20T21:26:00","date_gmt":"2011-11-20T21:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.floridacitrus.org\/oj\/tips\/fight-off-cold-and-flu-season-with-these-simple-tips\/"},"modified":"2023-01-23T23:51:38","modified_gmt":"2023-01-23T23:51:38","slug":"fight-off-cold-and-flu-season-with-these-simple-tips","status":"publish","type":"tips","link":"https:\/\/www.floridacitrus.org\/oj\/tips\/fight-off-cold-and-flu-season-with-these-simple-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Fight off cold and flu season with these simple tips"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It\u2019s that time of year again \u2013 pumpkin-flavored everything, soon to be followed by peppermint-flavored everything! But along with the hustle and bustle of the holidays comes colder temperatures and cold and flu season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are a few simple techniques recommended by experts to keep yourself healthy and help keep your body ready to fight off any nasty germs that may come your way.1-5<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wash your hands frequently.<\/strong> \ufeffWashing your hands<\/strong> is a great prevention method from getting sick. Also, try to keep your hands away from your face since the mouth and nose are entry points for bacteria and viruses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Feed your immune system. <\/strong>Your immune system has many moving parts that require a wide variety of nutrients to work effectively to protect your body from getting sick. Be sure to stock your grocery cart<\/strong> with foods that provide your body with vitamins and minerals to help support a healthy immune system. Choose a variety of nutrient-dense foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, low-fat or fat-free dairy, 100% juice and lean sources of protein. Check out ChooseMyPlate.gov<\/a> for ideas and make sure at least half your plate is fruits and vegetables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Eat a healthy and balanced diet. <\/strong>Instead of starting the day with cereal or a pastry high in added sugars, get a jumpstart on your nutrients <\/strong>with oatmeal<\/a> paired with an 8-ounce glass of Florida Orange Juice. Not only does Florida OJ taste great, it counts toward your fruit intake, is an excellent source of vitamin C<\/a> and a good source of potassium<\/a>, folate<\/a>, and thiamin<\/a> \u2013 nutrients that can help build a healthy immune system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ufeffStay Hydrated<\/a>. <\/strong>Instead of beverages with added sugars, opt instead for water, low-fat or fat-free milk, and 100% orange juice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Get a Flu Shot.<\/strong> Flu shots are effective at preventing certain types of the flu.\ufeff3<\/a><\/sup> As always, talk with your doctor first before making any medical decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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References<\/h2>\n\t
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  1. Is It a Cold or the Flu? Prevention, Symptoms, Treatments. US FDA. https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/ForConsumers\/ConsumerUpdates\/ucm092805.htm<\/li>\n\t\t
  2. Common Colds: Protect Yourself and Others. US. CDC. https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/features\/rhinoviruses\/index.html<\/li>\n\t\t
  3. Preventing the Flu: Good Health Habits Can Help Stop Germs. US CDC. https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/protect\/habits\/index.htm<\/li>\n\t\t
  4. How to Keep Your Immune System Healthy. Eat Right. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Sept 2018. https:\/\/www.eatright.org\/health\/wellness\/preventing-illness\/how-to-keep-your-immune-system-healthy<\/li>\n\t\t
  5. Katona P, Katona-Apte J. The Interaction between Nutrition and Infection. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2008;46(10):1582-1588.<\/li>\n\t<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    It\u2019s that time of year again \u2013 pumpkin-flavored everything, soon to be followed by peppermint-flavored everything! But along with the hustle and bustle of the holidays comes colder temperatures and cold and flu season. Here are a few simple techniques recommended by experts to keep yourself healthy and help keep your body ready to fight off […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":4730,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","tip_categories":[260,262,264,265],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.floridacitrus.org\/oj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tips\/4735"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.floridacitrus.org\/oj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tips"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.floridacitrus.org\/oj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/tips"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.floridacitrus.org\/oj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4730"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.floridacitrus.org\/oj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4735"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"tip_categories","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.floridacitrus.org\/oj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tip_categories?post=4735"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}