22
Health Tips
Fighting the Flu
Fever, body aches, tiredness, and cough – it’s flu season and we asked Dr. Hala
Najib, resident school doctor at Emirates International Schools to tell us more
about the symptoms and best flu prevention to help us stay healthy.
What are the symptoms of flu?
Influenza, or flu, is a respiratory illness that is caused
by a virus. Flu is highly contagious and is usually
spread by the coughs and sneezes of a person who
is infected. The most common flu and cold symptoms
among children and adults include a sore throat, cough,
runny nose, high temperature, cold sweats, shivers,
headache, aching joints, fatigue, and gastro-intestinal
symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
These symptoms may linger for about a week. The
feeling of tiredness and gloom can continue for several
weeks.
How can we prevent the spread
and outbreak of the flu?
Most doctors recommend that the single best way to
prevent seasonal flu is to get vaccinated each year. Get
a flu shot, particularly if you are 50 or over or have a
chronic illness. Furthermore, consider the flu shot if you
are in regular contact with many people, especially if
you live in a dormitory or work in an open-space office,
where hundreds of people are coughing and sneezing
in a common area.
Good health habits
help protect you against the flu:
Washing hands
with soap for 15 to 30
seconds-and keeping your hands away
from your face to reduce the chance of
delivering viruses directly to your eyes
or nose.
Make sure you are getting your
vitamin
E
and other antioxidants including
A, C
and B-complex
vitamins and minerals.
These have properties that enhance the
immune system.
Don't smoke.
Smoking paralyzes the
cilia, the hair-like cells lining the nose
and airways that sweep incoming
viruses away before they can infect.
Use tissues,
not cloth handkerchiefs,
to reduce the spread of infection.
Reduce stress.
Research has
shown that immune responses are
compromised by stress.
Get seven to
nine hours of sleep
a
night. Chronic sleep deprivation can
reduce your immune response.
