We tend to think of fall and winter as cold and flu season, but the truth is colds can happen any time of year.  No one wants to spend several days of a beautiful summer suffering through sneezing, coughing, and respiratory symptoms.  FitClub has the information you need to stay healthy all summer.

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• Keep up your daily exercise habit. Exercise is essential to maintaining a healthy and well-functioning immune system. Your immune system is your best defense from the virus that causes cold symptoms.  Unfortunately, summer can also be ripe with excuses for skipping your workout. Perhaps you’re traveling more than usual or lounging in your backyard soaking up the summer sun.  Making time for your regular trip to FitClub, though, will ensure that you won’t miss those summer vacations or backyard barbeques because you’re feeling ill.


• Drink more water. Drinking more water during the hot and humid summer months is critical for maintaining better health. Not only do you avoid heat-related illnesses and the risk of dehydration, but you can also prepare your body to ward off a summer cold. When you’ve been exposed to any type of virus, your body needs more fluids than usual to maintain a normal balance and prevent dehydration.  Plain water works best, but especially during the fresh-produce summer months, feel free to add a slice of lemon or orange to flavor your plain H20.


• Eat more fruit. Fruit and vegetables provide your immune system with the nutrients and vitamins it needs to stay strong and healthy.  Indulging in the freshest tastes of the season not only improves your diet, but also improves your immune system.  Citrus fruits that are rich in Vitamin C can help your immune system ward off illness, and can help to lessen the effect of symptoms.  Adding fruit to your oatmeal, salad, or enjoying as a snack makes filling your daily requirement easy during the summer months.


• Sleep can be challenging during the summer months when the summer sun can make it difficult to wind down at our normal bedtime and a multitude of summer parties and activities fill our social calendars.  Your body still needs seven to nine hours of sleep each night to allow it to repair and rebuild so it can face the challenges of the next day.


• Wash your hands. It might be the most commonly offered advice for preventing the spread of germs and illness, but it works!  Especially if you are traveling this summer, maintaining proper hygiene and washing your hands thoroughly and frequently throughout the day can prevent sharing germs with fellow travelers or even your own family.  Hand sanitizer is convenient when you can’t rush to a wash room, but soap and hot water is the best preventative measure.

No one wants to be slowed down by a cold during the summer months.  How do you prevent inconvenient colds this time of year?