Prepping for Flu Season

It’s almost here, that wonderful time of the year... Flu season!!! I don’t care if you have psoriatic arthritis or not, nobody wants the flu! The last thing I want to do is to hide out in my house all season long unless my immune system is being a complete jerk. Instead, I prepare for the onslaught of germs that are heading my way.

Fill up on immune boosting foods

I have made addressing my immunity a priority, not just during flu season, but all year long. In the past, my neglectfulness has led to minor illnesses turning into severe ones. The time spent from those illnesses can’t be replaced or made up for, it is gone. To limit how much time I spend in bed due to a common cold or the flu I eat foods that help boost my immune system. Some of my favorite immune-boosting foods are almonds, broccoli, garlic, and spinach.

Slow and steady wins the race

Pacing and not pushing my body to the point of exhaustion is extremely important. When I am run down, I don’t have a chance of beating the germs that invade my body. I need to make sure that I am getting adequate sleep. That means if my body really wants a nap, it gets it. If I am struggling to get enough sleep due to chronic pain, I take a look at my pain management plan and make adjustments where needed.

Set limits

I not only limit how much I physically do throughout the season, I limit the amount of people I spend time with. I avoid contact with people who I know are sick and rarely engage in physical contact like shaking hands with anyone throughout the season.

Sanitize, sanitize, sanitize!

I often carry sanitizer and disinfectant wipes in my purse. This way I am able to quickly combat germs placed on my hands from the elderly lady at church who insists on holding my hands during prayer or from the kid who sneezed on my arm while standing in line at the grocery store.

Be prepared

Since it is impossible to avoid every bug and virus out there, I prepare for the storm. Not only do I make sure to have everything I need to combat my symptoms, I also keep items that will provide me with entertainment or comfort on hand. Most importantly, I prepare my mind by acknowledging that no matter how careful I am, I still run the risk of catching the flu and that if I do I need to allow my body the time it needs to heal. After spending much of my chronic life in bed, I get antsy and worried that I will never leave the bed when I get knocked down.

How do you prepare for flu season?