It’s impossible to look at the news without seeing the CoronaVirus headlines everywhere. While this global disease demands an immediate international medical response, it also demands that we remain rational and smart about how we respond in the face of communicable diseases. This week, we are sharing three solutions from an infectious disease specialist to improve your immune system and stay healthy without panicking.

CoronaVirus is dominating the news, but disease specialist Sandra Kesh, M.D. reminds us that there have been about 16,000 flu-related deaths in this season alone, so it’s always a good idea to support your immune system, no matter the year, especially in the winter months. Here are three ways to stay healthier this flu season.

1. Reduce stress. Stress causes many different types of mental and physical disruptions within the body. High stress leads to cortisol levels that aren’t within their normal range which can physically disrupt the body’s healing properties. Check out these tips on recharging when you feel stretched too thin to address some of the biggest stressors in your life.
2. Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Healthy living is a marathon, not a sprint. You can chug orange juice, but a regularly-maintained healthy lifestyle is going to be more effective in the long run. Getting plenty of sleep, exercise, and eating a balanced diet will do wonders for your immune strength.
3. Practice balance with sanitizing. Exposure to some germs is good for your immune system. Regularly washing your hands and disinfecting communal surfaces like doorknobs and phones is good, but too much can harm more than it helps. Washing your hands too much can cause dry cracked hands that are actually prone to catching diseases. Wash up before meals and after using the restroom or touching something icky, and you should be all set. 

Getting sick is scary, but taking simple daily precautions to boost your immune systems and promote hygiene should be enough to keep you healthy most of the time. Everyone catches a bug once and awhile, but maintaining a balanced healthy lifestyle this flu season is the best thing you can do for your body and peace of mind.