TORONTO, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- Kissing under the mistletoe this holiday season could be bad for your health as the flu and the holidays converge, Canadian health officials warn.
And kissing is just one of a number of ways Ryerson University's School of Occupational and Public Health warns is a surefire way to get sick, Postmedia News reported Friday.
Flu is transmitted first and foremost through saliva, and kissing is one of the best ways to give your friends and family a gift that will keep them sneezing, the university warns.
To combat the flu, the university suggests that staple of high society, the "air kiss," where germs won't get passed through lip-to-skin contact.
The university also recommends frequent hand washings and the use of a hand sanitizer.
Oh, and get enough sleep, they say.
Lack of sleep weakens your immune system and makes you more susceptible to illness, they say.
