It may not be the first thing you think of going into the cold and flu season, but food allergies can complicate things when ’tis the season for sharing germs.

For us, this is usually from November (think, Thanksgiving get-together) to March (end of winter.) It never actually occurred to me to be more alert for contamination with gluten during this time of year until this past Christmas.

When you think of all the ways you could possibly come in contact with an allergen, does a handshake come to mind? It didn’t for me on Christmas day when a guest gave our dog a treat, made, of course, from wheat, then shook my hand. I never gave it a second thought. Until I had a delayed reaction the next day.

Oh, and did I mention I had a chest cold? 😕 Yeah, not fun. It didn’t turn into anaphylaxis, thank God, but it was bad enough. So that got me thinking – I need to be more careful when my body is fighting something off.

This is especially true for people with other types of reactions, those who will become sick from contamination.

Here’s some tips for staying safe in the cold and flu season.

Eat healthy

Considering hibernating while you’re sick. 🙂

Don’t take unnecessary risks (or road trips)

Load up on vitamin C (especially in the form of citrus, unless you’re like me and you’re limited as to what kinds of citrus you can eat without a slight “allergic” reaction due to a ragweed allergy – apparently they’re related somehow)

Don’t let your immune system get worn down. Cut back on sugar.

These are just five tips. Please share any others you may have.

You don’t want to be dealing with a reaction at the same time you’re dealing with a weakened immune system, or, worse, a cold or flu. So stay cautious this time of year.

Share your opinions! And share your experiences. Let’s chat in the comments.