When you are pregnant, you may try even harder than usual to avoid getting sick. The symptoms of pregnancy can be unpleasant at times, and you may shudder at the thought of adding the symptoms of a cold, the flu, or that stomach bug that is going around town to what you are already feeling. Since many cold medicines and other remedies are not recommended for use during pregnancy, it is a good idea to do everything that you can to prevent illness.
That said, you may not want to run to the nearest pharmacy with your sleeve rolled up to get in line for a flu shot. While it is true that this year’s flu is a nasty one, there is a chance that you may become sick even if you are vaccinated. Also, some people report experiencing flu like symptoms after getting their flu shots. Since I am not a doctor, this is certainly an issue that you will want to discuss with your prenatal care provider as well as research on your own so that you can make an educated decision about whether the flu vaccine is right for you.
The list of things that you can do to prevent illness includes the old standby of washing your hands for at least twenty seconds with warm water and soap before eating or cooking, after using the restroom, or any other time that you notice that it has been a while since your last hand washing. Other things that you can do include gargling with warm salt water a few times each day, and drinking tea with honey and lemon. Darker honey and local honey pack even more benefits in each spoonful than regular honey, and make sure that it is pure honey that you are buying, not honey mixed with high fructose corn syrup or other junk. Eating well, exercising regularly (as directed by your prenatal care provider), and getting plenty of rest also help to tip the balance in your favor of avoiding illness this flu season.
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