With fall almost over, flu season is here and it’s making itself at home like an unwelcome friend. The flu normally attacks when it begins to get colder. There’s no exact reason why that happens. It’s just one of the many characteristics of seasonal flu. Luckily for us, living on an isolated place in the middle of the Pacific, the seasonal flu is less overpowering, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t prepare your body for flu season.

If you’re feeling under the weather, but think you can make it through a full day of school, hold on. Symptoms can be mild and can come on suddenly.

One major clue that that you have the flu is if your body is very hot. No, this doesn’t mean that you’re attractive. It means, if you have a fever with a body temperature over 100°F, your body is fighting a trespasser. Aches and pains are quite normal, and you may have the chills, which means that you feel very cold when actually, your body temperature is very hot. Flu symptoms normally appear one to four days after exposure to the virus.

If you don’t want to get the flu, work some healthy habits into your lifestyle. For starters, wash your hands. The flu can spread by direct and indirect contact. For example, someone sneezes on his hand and opens a door. Then, you open that door and then touch your mouth, nose or eyes. Bam! You just contracted the flu. If your sweetheart has the flu, try to avoid getting too close to him/her.

Another way to counteract the flu is to get a flu shot. It’s a no-brainer. You can get a shot at your doctor’s, Walgreens/CVS, Walmart, Target, Kmart or at Longs Drugs.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. You never know where germs lurk, so it’s a good idea to carry around hand sanitizer to kill all those unwanted germs. Remember to always cover your sneezes and coughs. Always use the inside of your elbow to cover your sneezes if you don’t have a tissue.

Already have the flu? Don’t worry. If you want to treat the flu without medication, stay home for about 24 hours from when you first got the fever. During that 24 hours, get plenty of rest. Drink clear fluids, like water or sport drinks or drinks with electrolytes, and soup. Clear fluids will help to flush out your system and prevent dehydration. The flu also comes with a terrible sore throat. To help a sore throat, gargle salt water. If your fever is bothering you, take a cool, damp washcloth on your forehead and wherever else feels uncomfortable.

To put this all in perspective, the easiest way to avoid the flu is to take preventative action against it. Get your flu shot, wash your hands, carry hand sanitizer and always cover your coughs and sneezes. You’re not only protecting yourself, but you’re also protecting others.