Cold & flu December - Moda Health...Natural home remedies for fighting the common cold When a nasty...
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get your health on ♥ Moda Health offers its members free one-on-one health coaching Call 877-277-7281 or email [email protected]. (TTY users, please dial 711.) Cold & flu December Simple tips to prevent colds this holiday season ’Tis the season for family, friends and good times. The last thing anyone wants is to catch a cold or flu bug. To increase your chances of staying healthy this holiday season, have your family follow these important steps to help prevent the spread of germs in your home. > Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water. > Don’t touch your face. > Get your flu shots if your doctor recommends it. > Don’t share food, drinks, toothpaste or chapstick/lipstick. > Avoid kissing others on the lips if you feel a cold coming on. > Clean doorknobs with a disinfectant cleaner. > Get plenty of sleep. > Drink plenty of water. > Open windows in your house to let fresh air in and stale air out. > Stay home if you’re sick so you don’t spread germs to others. Source: Family Health & Nutrition Study: Exercise and meditation can protect the body from severe flu symptoms A study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that people who engage in moderate exercise or meditation have shorter and fewer severe cold and flu symptoms and miss fewer work days as a result of sickness. The eight-week program tracked 150 people over the age of 50 who were assigned to three groups – moderate exercise (biking or running), meditation and individuals who did neither activity during the cold and flu season. The study’s participants who engaged in either exercise or meditation experienced about half (55 percent) as many “episodes” of cold or flu symptoms compared to those who did nothing at all (average 249-to-453 episode ratio). When it came to sick days due to colds or similar infections for each group, the meditation group had only 16 sick days. The exercise group had 32 sick days, while the group that did neither activity had 67 total sick days. Source: Annals of Family Medicine Natural home remedies for fighting the common cold When a nasty cold sets in, all you can think about is getting rid of it. While over-the-counter medicines can provide some temporary relief, there are natural home remedies you can do that can help ward off cold and flu symptoms. Follow these tips to minimize your misery: > Blow your nose regularly to release mucus (always wash your hands afterward). > Get plenty of rest so your body can focus on fighting the cold. > Drink hot liquids to relieve nasal congestion and prevent dehydration. > Sleep upright with an extra pillow to help drain your nasal passages. > Gargle a teaspoon of warm salt water four times a day to help moisten your sore throat. Source: WebMD Health plans in Alaska provided by Moda Health Plan, Inc. Dental plans in Alaska provided by Delta Dental of Alaska. 5063406_AK (6/14) *Health coaching programs may not be included in all benefit plans
Transcript of Cold & flu December - Moda Health...Natural home remedies for fighting the common cold When a nasty...
get your health on♥Moda Health offers its members free one-on-one health coachingCall 877-277-7281 or email [email protected]. (TTY users, please dial 711.)
Cold & flu December
Simple tips to prevent colds this holiday season
’Tis the season for family, friends and good times. The last thing anyone wants is to catch a cold or flu bug. To increase your chances of staying healthy this holiday season, have your family follow these important steps to help prevent the spread of germs in your home.
> Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water.
> Don’t touch your face. > Get your flu shots if your doctor recommends it. > Don’t share food, drinks, toothpaste
or chapstick/lipstick. > Avoid kissing others on the lips if
you feel a cold coming on. > Clean doorknobs with a disinfectant cleaner. > Get plenty of sleep. > Drink plenty of water. > Open windows in your house to let
fresh air in and stale air out. > Stay home if you’re sick so you don’t
spread germs to others.
Source: Family Health & Nutrition
Study: Exercise and meditation can protect the body from severe flu symptoms A study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that people who engage in moderate exercise or meditation have shorter and fewer severe cold and flu symptoms and miss fewer work days as a result of sickness.
The eight-week program tracked 150 people over the age of 50 who were assigned to three groups – moderate exercise (biking or running), meditation and individuals who did neither activity during the cold and flu season. The study’s participants who engaged in either exercise or meditation experienced about half (55 percent) as many
“episodes” of cold or flu symptoms compared to those who did nothing at all (average 249-to-453 episode ratio).
When it came to sick days due to colds or similar infections for each group, the meditation group had only 16 sick days. The exercise group had 32 sick days, while the group that did neither activity had 67 total sick days.
Source: Annals of Family Medicine
Natural home remedies for fighting the common coldWhen a nasty cold sets in, all you can think about is getting rid of it. While over-the-counter medicines can provide some temporary relief, there are natural home remedies you can do that can help ward off cold and flu symptoms. Follow these tips to minimize your misery:
> Blow your nose regularly to release mucus (always wash your hands afterward).
> Get plenty of rest so your body can focus on fighting the cold.
> Drink hot liquids to relieve nasal congestion and prevent dehydration.
> Sleep upright with an extra pillow to help drain your nasal passages.
> Gargle a teaspoon of warm salt water four times a day to help moisten your sore throat.
Source: WebMD
Health plans in Alaska provided by Moda Health Plan, Inc. Dental plans in Alaska provided by Delta Dental of Alaska. 5063406_AK (6/14) *Health coaching programs may not be included in all benefit plans
