Our Best Wellness Tips For Cold And Flu Season

Cold and flu season shows up right when calendars stack up. School runs. Holiday parties. Office potlucks! You can’t pause life, so build a routine around healthy habits that can give your body a real shot at staying well. We plan for our own messy schedules too, which means we've designed this guide the same way we design our LIVPUR Hydrate: it's a simple and repeatable method for success.

Everyday Habits That Carry You Through

We always like to start with things you can do on autopilot. Everyone needs to sleep enough to wake up feeling refreshed! Movement is equally important, even if it’s just getting outside for half an hour on a day you're feeling crummy.

We've always recommended giving your body some high-quality nutrition, but it matters even more during flu season. Reach for healthy proteins, colorful plants, and whole grains, and only then start to add a hydration plan. These basics support your entire immune system so it can do its job. Keep those in place, and everything else we'll discuss works better.

Hydration, The Quiet Workhorse

Once you've got the basics down, it helps to really dial in your hydration plan. When you’re run down, water and warm drinks help thin out the mucus and support your normal immune function to get you back up to speed quickly. Sore throats and runny noses drag us down! But having a mug of tea or warm broth gives a deeply hydrating experience you can actually feel. We'll even keep a few bags of tea or LIVPUR Hydrate at our desk, because anything helps when we're trying to get more water into our systems.

Flu Season & Flu Shots

Flu viruses spread quickly indoors, where close contact is almost unavoidable. A common cold tends to be milder with a runny or stuffy nose and a scratchy throat. The single strongest step you can take is your annual flu shot! It’s updated each year to target the strains in circulation and lower the risk of serious illness for you and the people around you. Pair that with basic behavior like staying home when you’re sick, covering coughs to keep your germs to yourself at the table. Small moves have a big payoff during flu season.

Healthy Habits For Your Hygiene

Season or not, daily habits still carry weight. We've already said you should cover up your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. We like to keep tissues on hand for this reason, but remember to wash your hands! Skip handshakes when illness is making the rounds.

Soap and water are the gold standard. When that isn’t available, reach for hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol and let it dry before you touch anything. Try not to rub your eyes, nose, or mouth after holding a subway pole or opening a public door. It’s small stuff that adds up.

What To Do When You’re Sick

If you do get sick, keep it simple. Respect the basics. Rest. Fluids. Gentle, nutritious food you can actually handle. Use over-the-counter medicine carefully and avoid doubling ingredients across products.

We also recommend making sure you're getting a full dose of daily electrolytes to keep your immune support at its peak.

When To Call The Doctor

Above everything else we've talked about, you need to know when you need more help. Reach out to a doctor fast if you have a fever that either runs high or won’t break, or if you have chest pain/shortness of breath, signs of serious dehydration (which, as we wrote, has a strong connection with stress), or symptoms that improve then come back worse.

Stay consistent. Keep water close. Get your flu shot! And any people who are pregnant, adults over 65, and anyone with chronic conditions should check in sooner rather than later. Early treatment can change the course of the flu.

The Realistic Middle Ground Between Nutrition and Vitamins

Pharmacy shelves get loud this time of year. People ask about vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc every season. Your immune system uses these nutrients to function normally. Vitamin C may modestly shorten colds for some when taken regularly. Zinc lozenges started right at symptom onset might shorten symptoms for some. The evidence is mixed, and more isn’t always better. Build your base with a balanced diet, then use supplements to fill real gaps.

How LIVPUR Fits Into Your Routine

This is where we live day to day. Hydration first. LIVPUR Hydrate was built for everyday use. Each stick contains fast-acting electrolytes with additional vitamins and amino acids for immune wellness (including vitamin C with B6 and B12!) Our mix disperses clean, tastes good, and ALSO uses the sodium-glucose transport system, so your fluids are actually getting absorbed. Most of our flavors are only 3 grams of sugar and 30 calories per stick, which fits everyone's daily life.

Concentration during flu season without a crash? LIVPUR Energy (which we made with natural caffeine and L-theanine for a gradual sort of concentration) is one of our favorite flu-season "hacks", because the magnesium and amino acids really help us feel clear-headed...even with a stuffy nose!

We've also outlined how to choose an electrolyte powder and the reason behind keeping sugar minimal for everyday hydration. The abridged version. You will consume more water if it has a good taste, and it should include sufficient sodium, potassium, and magnesium to be effective.

If you take nothing else from today's reading, just make sure to stock up on LIVPUR Hydrate and Energy! We’re here for any questions you might have, too!