10 Habits That Increase Your Risk Of Having Flu

Now that flu season is here, it’s important to do all that you can to make sure that you’re not one of its unlucky victims. That’s why it’s important to make sure that you take all the necessary precautions, and avoid any common mistakes that could lead to you getting the flu, such as the ten you’ll find below.

1. Not taking a sick day when you need one

If you’ve gotten into the habit of refusing to take a sick day off when you need one, it could place a lot of unnecessary stress on your immune system. When you’re feeling unwell, exerting yourself in the same way that you would on any other day is a sure-fire way to weaken your immune system and unable to fight viruses like the flu, leading to more sick days being required in the future.

2. You don’t eat enough (or any) carbs

According to Elizabeth Gardner, Ph.D., an associate professor in Food Science and Human Nutrition, “Originally we thought the calorie restriction would help improve their immune systems, but we found the opposite was true,” and that “more calories during flu season helped ward off the virus or if it didn’t, it at least resulted in fewer symptoms and a speedier recovery.”