Most of us have had the flu – and sometimes it’s bad, really bad.
Your fever is soaring, your body is aching, and chills run rampant as you struggle just to pull yourself from bed. In other cases, it gets even worse, with trouble breathing, chest pain, and blue-tinted lips sending some flu sufferers to the emergency room.
So why, oh why, do so many people wait too late?
As fall and flu season approach, don’t let a ‘bad bug’ catch you off guard. Instead of scrambling for medicine, or searching for an urgent-care appointment, or wondering whether you waited too long to call your doctor, put your mind at rest!
Prepared, not scared. Give yourself a top advantage, and know what you can do before those darn symptoms start to really settle in.
If you’re looking to build a few habits (while not becoming obsessed with avoiding every germ), this article’s for you.
Ready to make respiratory illness less likely—or at least easier to manage if it arrives?
Here are seven things you can do before flu season strikes.
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Everyone responds to the flu differently, so it helps to know your personal risk. Some people bounce back fast, while others can get very sick or end up in the hospital.
Age is an important factor. Adults aged 65 and older usually experience substantially higher rates of influenza-related hospitalization and mortality, especially when there are underlying conditions. In other words, for elderly folks with comorbidities, the risk of severe outcomes is much higher.
Chronic lung, cardiovascular, metabolic, neurologic, and liver diseases—as well as extreme obesity—have all been linked to higher risks of serious hospital interventions. We’re talking about things like intensive care, mechanical ventilation, and even death.
Race is also an important factor to consider. According to CDC research, which examined racial and ethnic disparities in severe flu-related outcomes across 10 flu seasons, Black individuals had the highest flu-associated hospitalization rates across all seasons, when adjusted for age.
So, keep a checklist. Before flu season arrives, note your age, chronic medical conditions, pregnancy status if applicable, immunization status, and any medications or treatments that affect your immune system. This will help you take preventative steps as needed.
The CDC recommends a flu vaccine every year, ideally by the end of October, for everyone six months and older. It helps lower the risk of getting influenza severe enough to require medical care or hospitalization. In 2024–2025, the flu vaccine reduced outpatient visits by about 32 to 60 percent in children and 36 to 54 percent in adults. It also cut flu-related hospital stays by 63 to 78 percent in children and 41 to 55 percent in adults.
This may sound like a no-brainer, but that’s why it’s useful. It’s useful because it’s basic, and it’s one of the simplest things you can do to strengthen your defenses. According to a meta-analysis of handwashing studies, researchers found an association between handwashing frequency and illness incidence.
However, the results were a bit nuanced. The study actually showed no difference in disease prevention between those who washed their hands more than four times per day and those who did not. That said, the researchers found that, compared with handwashing four or fewer times per day, washing five to 10 times per day or more than 10 times per day could reduce the risk of infection.
The authors ultimately concluded that the more frequently hands were washed, the lower the risk of disease, but there was no high-quality evidence indicating the optimal range.
Some of this may be complicated by the delicate balance of handwashing. Ironically, too much washing can lead to dryness, cracking, and irritation, which may ultimately weaken the skin barrier and actually increase your risk of infection.
So be strategic.
Wash your hands before you eat or prepare food, and if you’re coughing or sneezing or around someone who is coughing or sneezing. If you’re constantly touching public surfaces, it’s also a good idea to be vigilant.
But again, be wary of excessive and/or improper handwashing. It’s always important to follow a few guidelines:
If soap and water aren’t available, a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol is your next best option. Just make sure to keep alcohol-based hand sanitizer where it’s convenient, like your car, purse, backpack, desk, or entryway.
Then, once dried, moisturize.
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Are you ever out and about and you see someone coughing into their hand?
Don’t do that.
Instead, use a tissue or your elbow when coughing or sneezing, and by all means, dispose of the tissues promptly, immediately followed by washing your hands.
Remember: proper coughing etiquette is not just about being polite – it’s about reducing the amount of respiratory material you release into the air (and onto surfaces).
Feel that cough or sneeze coming on strong? Turn away from other people and, again, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue. The reason putting your hand over your mouth is a no-no is because it can transfer respiratory secretions all over the place.
Just think of all the doorknobs, phones, countertops, shopping carts, on and on and on…
If you have respiratory symptoms and are coughing or sneezing repeatedly, it’s best to distance yourself from others. If you absolutely have to be out in public, try to avoid people. If you can, it’s even better to just stay home until symptoms subside.
Coughing etiquette maneuvers only go so far. As some research suggests, they do not block droplets expelled as aerosols when coughing. So make sure to take other precautions as well, and discuss options with your doctor if you can’t avoid people for the time being.
Better safe than sorry, better sooner than later.
Whatever you do, don’t wait until midnight, when you’re congested and feeling miserable, to discover that your thermometer batteries have died.
For a basic home kit, consider the following key items:
This may sound like a lot, but many people have these items around without even realizing it. If you need to run out to the store, you can find many relatively inexpensive options at major retailers or your local Walgreens, CVS, etc.
The goal isn’t to create a tiny pharmacy. It’s simply to make these decisions now before you’re sick.
Honey is one example of a simple comfort measure. A systematic review found that honey may improve cough symptoms in children with acute cough, although the quality of the evidence was low to very low.
Autumn is a great time to pick up some local produce, visit farmers’ markets, and see what the harvest brings.
If you’re looking to make your diet more nutrient-dense, you’ve got options. Think everything from sweet potatoes to pumpkin, winter squash, collard greens, citrus, beans, lentils, berries, garlic, onions, ginger, turmeric – the list goes on.
It’s also generally a good idea to spend some time outdoors, especially during sunny hours as the days shorten. Vitamin D and Vitamin D supplementation have been associated with a range of potential health & wellness benefits.
Just don’t megadose supplements simply because flu season is approaching! While it can be tempting to buy into trendy fads and short-term so-called solutions, your best course of action is consistency. Maintain a healthy baseline rather than suddenly overloading on heavily marketed products.
Building balanced meals is also a critical step.
For instance, a nice fall plate might include something like baked salmon, roasted sweet potatoes, sautéed collard greens with garlic, and maybe a citrus-based salad.
Turns out, meals that are nutritious can also be quite delicious!
It’s no surprise that shorter days and the autumn time change can mess with our sleep schedules. Poor sleep isn’t just frustrating; it can have measurable negative effects on the body and brain, including an increased risk of upper respiratory tract infections.
So, start preparing before the seasonal transition.
Try to keep your bedtime and wake time as consistent as possible. Get outdoor light during the day, especially early in the day, and keep your bedroom as dark as possible at night.
For some people, especially those with insomnia, light therapy may be an option.
The overall goal here is simple. You’re giving your circadian system predictable signals, a little physiological and neurochemical consistency, before seasonal changes throw it off.
Last, but certainly not least, know when enough is enough.
Sure, many uncomplicated respiratory illnesses can initially be managed at home. With some rest, fluids, and symptom relief, many people can and do recover on their own.
However, what if things aren’t progressing well?
Influenza can become serious, particularly if you have underlying conditions or other risk factors. Your age, as well as conditions like diabetes, cancer, and heart failure, are all variables to consider.
That’s why it’s smart to make your decision early rather than once you’re severely ill.
If you develop influenza-like symptoms and you’re at elevated risk for complications, call your doctor immediately. Antiviral treatment is often time-sensitive, especially when initiating in the first 48 hours.
No need to tough it out. Always seek urgent medical attention if you’re struggling to breathe, have chest pain, feel confused, have severe weakness, are severely dehydrated, or find the illness getting worse quickly.
At the end of the day, it’s all about vigilance.
Prepared, Not Scared.
Because while the measures detailed in this article are not a silver bullet, they can certainly help. The top flu-season strategy isn’t some magic supplement, herbal tea, or expensive wellness product.
It’s a stack. And by stacking these small protections, time and time again, you can step into flu season feeling ready, confident, and healthy. Give yourself the options you need and deserve ahead of time.
You’ll be more than happy you did.
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