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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at FIU chapter.

If you’re like me, your immune system doesn’t like to pull through at the right time. If someone around you is sick, it’s merely a waiting game before you are too. Over the years, many have recognized their susceptibility to get sick easily but thankfully have found ways to help prevent it. Here are some tips on what you should do to prevent yourself from getting sick so easily:

  1. Wash your hands: I know we’ve been told to do this since kindergarten, but it’s for a reason. According to Dr. Alan Pocinki, one should wash their hands “as much as you can stand”. To completely rid yourself of viruses, wash your hands in warm water for at least 20 seconds.
  2. Exercise Daily: Regular exercise stimulates the brain to release hormones like serotonin, human growth hormone, and dopamine. These hormones help produce antibodies used to fight off viruses and infections. Even 15 minutes a day is enough to get your body ready to fight off contagious germs in the air.
  3. Take Vitamin C: Studies show that people fall short of the Vitamin C daily requirement, this deficiency leads to a weak immune system. Some ways to obtain Vitamin C are ingesting pills or eating foods that are high in Vitamin C. Possible options are mushrooms, salmon, tuna and beef liver.
  4. Don’t share food or drinks: This one is a given. If you don’t want to share germs, possibly virus-infected germs, do not share food or drinks with people.
  5. Calm Down: There is a link between mental stress and physical illness. Find a way to regulate your stress levels because you are, in all honesty, making yourself sick. The constant release of Cortisol, which helps the body fight inflammation and disease, is constantly being released in the body when you’re stressed. This lessens the hormones’ overall effectiveness in the body.

All in all, we all get sick once in a while, but if we follow some basic tips, we can defer it as much as possible. From following the golden rule we were taught in kindergarten, to taking Vitamin C daily, there are many things you can do to help yourself not get sick. 

Valerie Castaneda is currently a Sophomore at Florida International University pursuing a degree in Marketing. She was born and raised in Miami, FL. and places her city on a high pedestal, She believes in the great importance of the written word and loves to write about things that inspire her. She loves traveling, studying, and listening to music while at the same time being updated on Pop Culture around her. Her dream is to eventually work at a record label in Artist Relations and manage artists. For the moment, Valerie works in Promotional Marketing and enjoys working with different brands and companies. Most recently, she worked Swim Week 2018 where she was exposed to the fashion industry and learned a great deal about the world-renowned week.
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