Not Today, Sickness: How to Avoid Getting Sick This Winter

I absolutely hate being sick. There are only two things that actually benefit you when you’re sick: losing weight and being catered to. I live vicariously through the young during these times, because when I am sick, I still have to work or attend school—they do not. So, to avoid getting sick this winter, there are a couple of tips that help me out. I hope they will help you as well.

Keep your hands clean

You know those signs that hang in the bathroom in public restaurants or businesses that state “employees must wash their hands”? Apply that to your daily life. There are so many dormant germs lying around just waiting to activate in your immune system. So wash your hands and keep a travel-sized hand sanitizer handy. Remember, you don’t know who coughed in their hands and recently touched the doorknob of the door you just went through.

Eat (or drink) your fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables have natural vitamin sources hidden within them. And we all know that vitamin C protects against immune system deficiencies. Some of the top fruits and vegetables that contain vitamin C are bell peppers, dark green leafy vegetables like kale and spinach, kiwi, broccoli, berries, and citrus fruits like oranges and lemons. You can make a mean green juice to protect your insides from the outside.

Sleep

Sleep allows our bodies recharge and restore. I think of sleep like your cell phone battery. Once you get off of work, you immediately plug your phone up to the charger to recharge the battery. You want your phone to work properly and not shut off while you’re using it. Your body is the same. If you don’t get enough sleep, you can become really sluggish and moody. That is your body telling you it needs more sleep because you did allow it to recharge. Without enough sleep, it will weaken your immune system which will let the bacteria in. So do yourself a favor and get more rest!

Drink more water

Water provides moisture for your hair follicles, skin, and pores during the winter. It helps energizes muscles, creates a balance of fluids in your body, motivates the bowels to move, and helps control calories. It also flushes out those nasty toxins in your immune system and helps fight those bacteria that get trapped, so stay hydrated.

Use a humidifier

During winter, the air is cool and dry. Your sinuses also become cool and dry, so in order to combat that, I use a humidifier at night to help my nasal passages stay lubricated. Your body needs hydration, not only intrinsically but also extrinsically. A humidifier prevents nosebleeds, alleviates snoring, helps keep your skin not feeling dry, and also relieves sinusitis.

What are some things that you do in order to combat sickness in the winter?

5 Scary Things You Might Be Neglecting in Your Twenties

Now, that I’ve picked my Buzzfeed-worthy costume, I am all in for the Halloween holiday. Maybe that’s why I named the title as such, or maybe I’m hoping that for once, the fear tactic will work in affecting positive change (they kind of beat the hope into us in advertising school). Whichever way, they say our twenties are for making mistakes, but I believe the sooner we realize them and fix them, the better. Neglecting these things can lead to scary results, but the good news is, there are some tips to break the bad habit and replace with good.

1. Your 401k
It’s hard to plan for the future when you’re barely making it in the present. Ideally, we’d all love to invest handsomely in order to make allowances for the growing expenses of merely existing in the future, but entry level jobs aren’t paying the six figures like they used to (heh). However, something is always better than nothing. Start small, if you need to, and increase as you begin to earn more in your career or decrease your expenses.

2. Monthly self breast exams 
On average, women over fifty have a higher chance of getting breast cancer, but more younger women are being diagnosed in the recent years. Though the risk is only 1 of 2500 women in their twenties, being in the habit of regularly checking for breast cancer can save your life through early detection. Click here for a printable guide on how to administer an exam.

3. Regular dentist visits
No one really loves going to the dentist, but do you know just how much your oral health affects your overall well-being? Untreated periodontal disease can get into your facial bones and affect your physical appearance (and I for one, like to protect my “woke up like this” flawless). Additionally, it has been linked to heart disease, Alzheimer’s and other conditions. Finally, your immune system could be operating at a lower capacity if it is constantly fighting oral disease. Like we say in Mississippi, it’s time we put our big girl britches on and just go to the dentist.

4. Financial health
How is your financial acumen? Are you still skipping meals or eating PBJ because of those shoes you just had to have last week? Are you a fad budget dieter with cheat spending binges? You might be making it now (but for the grace of God), but it’s not a financially or emotionally healthy way for you to exist. Take a moment to look at your spending and find your typical budget culprits. Save for the “must-have” items you want and reward yourself every now and then. You’ll thank yourself for it. I promise.

5. Fitness/Eating Right
Unless if you are a freak of nature (just kidding, kinda), metabolism is naturally trending against you as you get older. It’s no secret that sitting is really, really bad for you, but until you can convince your boss to purchase all new sitting desks (and if you do, please let me know how you did that) it’s vital that you make it a priority to inject some level of activity into your life. But just working out will not suffice without eating well with it. I’m not saying no to the occasional brownie or cake, I’m just saying the Taco Bell employees shouldn’t know your name after the age of 19 (one of those sort of but not kidding things again).

All hope is not lost. If you’re guilty of neglecting any of these, awareness is the first step. Tomorrow is a new month, so choose a goal to tackle one of these (or any other) pain points and make a good habit. If you care to do so, share it in the comments so we can root for you, too!

3 Keys to a Successful Mentor Relationship

Navigating your budding career path can seem daunting when your ideal destination seems far away. The great thing is, you don’t have to go it alone. Connecting with a mentor can help you to learn from their experiences and provide a new outlook at a point in life which we typically feel most hopeless. With these three tips, you can begin and maintain a valuable mentoring relationship that is mutually beneficial.

1. Know what you want.

What are you looking to achieve in your career? Do you have foreseeable end game? Try seeking a mentor with a path similar to yours. If you don’t know anyone in your desired position, try seeking a mentor that exhibits characteristics or skills that you seek to gain. For example, a woman who is personally intrigued in how career moms balance work and life could find an ideal mentor in a woman that has been able to climb the corporate ladder with children in tow. Understanding your goals will empower you to seek out someone that could impart the knowledge on you to reach them.

2. Make a plan.

Failure to plan is planning to fail. You will most likely be both busy people, and it’s easy to forget to regularly make contact when in the throes of everyday life. Making a plan for your mentorship relationship will definitely help set expectations and hold each other accountable. Do you have lunch once a month? Bi-weekly check in email? Place reminders on your favorite calendar or planner to help establish a schedule for regular contact.

3. Learn Together.

Learning is definitely not just for the mentee. Read a book. You and your mentor can benefit from diversity of thought regarding subjects beneficial to your growth. Not sure where to start on a book list? Check out this list of go-to books from leading women entrepreneurs. Consider attending professional events together and taking time to discuss the topics presented after the event or at a later date.

Overall, the key to having a successful relationship is having someone you can relate to. Once you have found an ideal partner, then you can plan activities to make the most of the limited time you have together. Whether it is someone that works in your company or an online acquaintance (LinkedIn Groups!), having someone who can impart their wisdom can calm your career fears and increase your confidence.