Yep, it’s that time of year again! When the sniffles are part of your everyday routine whether you have them, your coworkers or your patients. There are tissues and sneezes everywhere! How do you avoid catching that nasty cough or cold going around this season? Although you can’t prevent the seasons from changing and the air from getting crispier, you can take control of your health. We’ve put together a few quick tips on how to stay well while on a traveling medical job assignment, and all year long for that matter!
Stay Hydrated
As a traveling medical professional, this may seem like a given but life gets busy and it can be easy to forget to take a sip of water. It’s recommended to drink 3.7 liters (15 cups) of water for the average adult male and 2.7 liters (11 cups) for the average adult female. When it’s hot out in the summer, this is something you might think about regularly. But as the temperature drops, reaching for a Starbucks seems more fitting than a bottle of water. You can help this by always bringing a water bottle to every shift. Mark goals on the side of it so you know how much you’re supposed to drink and have gone each hour. You could even make a competition out of it with your co-workers! Coconut water is also great for hydrating the body. It’s a good way to rebalance the body’s natural level of hydration.
Get Some Shut Eye
Don’t let your sleep fall out of priority as the days get shorter. You might think there are so many things to get done as the holidays get closer and you’re busy on assignment and although your work schedule may get a little crazy, it’s still vital to put sleep at the top of your list. Especially if you start to feel like you’re coming down with something, one of your first steps should be to stop and get yourself some rest. It’s recommended that adults get an average of 7 hours of sleep a night. So if you have to skip the mall and do some holiday shopping on Amazon instead in order to get some more shut eye, it would definitely be a good idea!
Help Your Immune System Out
With the drop in temperature and the rise in germs, your immune system may need a little boost. You can help it out by getting some more Vitamin C in your body. The top 5 foods that contain the most Vitamin C are peppers, guavas, dark leafy veggies like kale, kiwi and broccoli. Be sure to add these into your daily diet in order to help your body out. Put them on your shopping list for next week along with a new water bottle! You can also add in some superfoods like wheatgrass that supports the immune system and aids the body’s detoxification process. Wheatgrass shots, anyone?
Stick to Your Fitness Schedule
No one loves going into the cold in their light workout gear and as the days get shorter, so does prime running time. Take the time now to revamp your routine for the colder months. You could hit a spin class at the nearest gym or just go down to the treadmill in your apartment complex. Whatever you do, make sure you’re sticking to some type of routine in between shifts to keep your body energized and well. Don’t forget to wipe down any equipment you use at the gym after use but especially before – in case someone wasn’t as courteous!
Just because it’s starting to get colder, doesn’t mean you have to come down with a cold. Along with washing your hands on a regular basis and being cautious of others that are ill, take these quick tips so you don’t fall short on productivity because of a cold. What do you do to stay well on assignment? We want to know!