Surviving the Cold and Flu Season at the Office
By Laura Donovan
Cold season is real: it doesn’t take a CDC PSA to know that. And while New York has escaped bitter winter weather up to now, it’s getting colder every day. Witness the mope-a-dope-mood-inducing rain today, pair it with Weather Channel promises of “Wintry Mix” later this week, and you’ll take my point.
When winter starts to set in, a trend emerges: Take Your Illness to Work Day. But it can be unwise to work through a sickness. Whether you’re a classic Type A overachiever or not, you don’t want to show up to the office a sniffling, feverish, flushed and embattled ball of illness who winds up robbing others of focus and health by hacking and sneezing every five minutes. I made this faux pas last winter, and was sent home before my cough could infect fellow staffers with more than just irritation.
The temptation during flu season is to hack it out, head to the doctor on your lunch break, grab antibiotics and move on with your life. But evidence is growing that antibiotics won’t always be an option. So more than ever, it’s vital to take health precautions now to speed up the healing process or prevent sickness
Here are our suggestions for cheating illness and remaining healthy during the chilly months:
For rainy days, bring a plastic bag, umbrella, and extra bag of clothes
If it’s raining the moment you step outside your house to leave for work, make sure you have some essentials on hand: A reliable umbrella (preferably a clear one, which though it’ll make you feel a little like a Mack truck in a snowstorm visibility-wise, really will keep you very dry), a long plastic bag to contain your wet umbrella, and a water-safe bag for a change of clothes in the event that you get soaked. Whether you’re in good health or under the weather, you don’t want to show up to work looking like you just crawled out of a swamp. Have another shirt and pair of pants on hand in case your current outfit becomes drenched on your journey to work. I know from experience that there are few worse ways to spend a work day than shivering on the job. Pack well on rainy mornings to avoid catching a cold.
Sleep well at night
You don’t need to convince us of the value of sleep. Our very own Amanda Pouchot knows firsthand that a good night’s rest is crucial for thriving in all facets of life. Get at least seven hours of sleep each night to lower your chances of catching cold (and hey, channel your inner polar bear— shoot for 10 hours). A 2009 study conducted by Carnegie Mellon University researchers found that people who were well rested were less likely to become ill upon being exposed to a cold virus than those who had poor quality sleep.
“People who slept less than seven hours were about three times more likely to get a cold than people who slept eight hours or more a night,” said psychology professor Sheldon Cohen.
If you’re past the point of no return, and are a walking virus, go to bed early anyway to give your body more time to recharge and heal.
Get steamy
Sore throats are both completely disgusting and uncomfortable, not to mention being the bane of classical music performances worldwide. To minimize the mucus-related apologies in your life, take a hot shower or inhale steam/humidified air. Do it twice a day. And don’t forget Vick’s. WebMD advises carefully holding your head above a pot of boiling water and breathing through your nose. The technique is said to kill off cold viruses and improve respiration, and L(L)’s Managing Editor swears by it with all the force that a chronic asthmatic can have. The heat will speed up the healing process and warm you up, especially if it’s chilly outside.
Wear rain boots
More often than not, rain boots are giant, unsightly, squeaky, and nearly impossible to remove. These shoes are as inaccessible and unsexy as footwear comes. But to give them their due, they also save the day and keep your toes and soles dry during downpours. Rain boots can be found at most shoe stores, but if you’re looking for something stylish, explore Zappos.com for items by Frye and Hunter.
Hydrate, but hold off on dairy
For me, one of the worst parts of having a cold is ditching dairy products to prevent mucus build-up. When sick, it’s important to down lots of water and hot fluids to flush all the sickness out of your system. Tea is a good option, but don’t go for milky hot chocolate or a steaming coffee, at least if you plan on adding creamer to the latter. Mayo Clinic doctor James M. Steckelberg says milk could thicken the phlegm or further irritate your throat, even though your body may appreciate the calories if you’ve been eating less as a sickly entity.
Stock up on Vitamin C
Though not proven to effectively battle the common cold, Vitamin C can shorten the duration of the illness, according to WebMD. When consumed daily before the cold begins to surface or give you sneezing fits, Vitamin C can cut down on your number of sick days. At the very least, Vitamin C could put you in a better mental health state, according to a 2007 MSNBC report that suggested munching on tons of Vitamin C-rich foods to see whether the nourishment has an effect on you.
“See if it makes a difference to you…the placebo effect alone may be powerful,” Joy Bauer wrote.
Broccoli, oranges, strawberries, and bell peppers are full of Vitamin C, but if you’re on the run or uninterested in these food groups, you can always put Emergen-C powder into your water. The packets come with 1,000 MG of Vitamin C and take less time to consume than pieces of fruit and vegetables. Emergen-C is faster and more convenient than green and bell peppers.
The kind folks at Emergen-C provided us with 1) ten boxes of Emergen-C to give away to Levo Leaguers (see below for contest details!) and 2) this fairly tasty recipe:
Chai L’Orange
8 oz. Hot Chai Tea (like Oregon Chai)
1 Packet of Super Orange Emergen-C
1 Squeeze of Honey
Dash of Nutmeg
Pour 6 oz. of hot (but not boiling) Chai into a mug, add packet of Emergen-C Super Orange, stir in the honey, top with remaining Chai, and sprinkle with nutmeg.
Chicken soup
Every time I come down with a cold, a part of me wants to belt out “Hallelujah!” because the illness is the only way I can cover up my slightly embarrassing, childish addiction to Campbells Chicken Noodle Soup, which I eat in secrecy several times a week. With a cold, I can justify my frequent consumption of Progresso and Campbells soup. Besides satisfying your taste buds and keeping you toasty, chicken noodle soup contains substances that may alleviate the symptoms of a cough, sore throat, or stuffy nose or break down mucus. Hit the grocery store for pre-made soup or ingredients to decrease congestion and wash out the thick, unwelcome bacteria lingering above your esophagus.
To boost your chances of staying healthy and happy this holiday season, enter our Emergen-C Giveaway Contest! To win, tweet us your favorite cold remedy at @levoleague!
Side note from Emergen-C that you may not have known: they’ve established a fund benefiting worthy causes and organizations through product sales. Fund flavors include Emergen-C Blue to benefit Surfrider Foundation; Emergen-C Pink to fund breast cancer awareness, research, and prevention efforts; Emergen-C Planet to benefit Whole Planet Foundation; and the newest addition, Emergen-C Kidz to support Vitamin Angels to help reduce childhood mortality worldwide.
