When everyone around has a cold, knowing how to help yourself avoid getting sick and keep healthy is essential. Especially during the exam week as you cannot afford skipping a day.

Wash hands/use hand sanitizer. Keeping hands clean is a number one tip and the most effective way to avoid getting sick and spreading germs.

“Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth because that’s how you introduce viruses to your body”, nurse from Mercy Health Hackley Hospital Joy Lepo said.

Take multivitamins. Different types of vitamins will strengthen your immune system and make you healthier. To prevent catching a cold get 100 mg of Vitamin C every day from lemons, oranges, blackberries, grapefruits. Vitamin D that reduces inflammation can be found in milk and salmon. 1.2 mg of Vitamin B2 a day are needed to produce antibodies that are our health guardians. It can be obtained from meat, eggs, almonds and cottage cheese. You can also buy zink in pills.

“Zink is considered to be a heavy metal and the theory is the virus can’t penetrate itself. It promotes immune system’s health”, Lepo said.

Drink green smoothies. Green smoothies might not look great, but they are good for our bodies. There are thousands of recipes that you can look up online. One of the most popular recipes suggest blending banana, mango, grapes, spinach, kale and coconut milk. Adding vanilla yogurt and more fruits can contribute to the drinks’ taste. Another great recipe contains avocado, apples and spinach, and it doesn’t need any dairy in it. Blueberry, spinach and peanut butter smoothie doesn’t look green, but remains the healthy effects. Avoid sugar and don’t forget the vegetables!

“Green part indicates a dark leafy vegetable, mixed with fruits. A green smoothie is a great source of vitamins”, Lepo said.

Get more sleep. A high-schooler must sleep more than 7 hours a night. Sleep helps to release the hormone cortisol, which stimulates cells that boost the immune system. Moreover, a lack of sleep leads to inflammatory processes. So getting enough sleep will help you feel refreshed throughout the day and prevent colds throughout the season.

Get a flu shot. Vaccination is an option as well.  Flu vaccine causes the development of antibodies that protect you against infection. The thing is that flu viruses evolve quickly, so you don’t really know the new adapted form of it. However, modern pharmacists found solutions.

“They predict what flu strain is for each year, and sometimes get it right”, Lepo said.

By following these easy tips on the daily basis, you will not only prevent seasonal infectious illnesses, but also you will feel positive physical and mental improvements within a week.