How to Safeguard Yourself From a Cold or the Flu

Taking some extra precautions can help save you from the need to medicate.

Sneezing, coughing and shaking hands are the best ways to catch a cold or the flu.  With how quickly the H3N2 flu is spreading this year, you need to take some extra precautions because one minute you might be symptom free and within hours are battling for your life.

Even though this year’s flu vaccine isn’t as effective to ward all strain’s of H3N2, it still helps lessen the severity of the symptoms if you come down with it.  You still have time to get a vaccine, but keep in mind that it takes two weeks to build up your immunity to protect you if coming in contact with anyone infected.

Sneezing into a tissue can contain the germs instead of letting them become airborne!

Here are some other simple precautions that you can take to guard against the flu or colds in general.  Sneezing, for instance, can launch about 40,000 moist droplets into the air, where they can stay alive for at least ten minutes, which is more than enough time to infect someone else or become infected.  Instead of just sharing with others, sneezing into the crook of your arm will better contain the germs.

Touching things and then putting those hands to rub our eyes or mouth is another way to invite infection. Often, we don’t think before you we do these things.  What helps is packing a sample size bottle of hand disinfectant with you after shaking hands or after  touching objects or using public facilities that have seen many hands.

Speaking of what to keep extra clean is doorknobs, staircase railings, computer keyboards, phones, and counters.  

Getting more vitamin C and zinc can help in your body’s defense from a cold or flu and lessen the severity as well.

Something else that can help usher in the flu or cold is when you lower your body’s resistence because of not getting enough sleep or being stressed out.  Therefore, try to relax in a soothing tub with an essential oil like lavender or practicing some deep breathing techniques and tuning out your problems are just two suggestions that can help prepare you for an earlier bedtime.   

If you have a dishwasher, then you are in better shape than manually washing your dishes because of how much hotter the water is to kill live germs.  What you can do is add a teaspoon of bleach along with your dish detergent in your hot water to clean your dishes manually.  This is what I do since my kitchen is too small for a dishwasher, which I would love to have if I had room to fit it in here.

The temperature of your home also is important.  Germs love cool air to thrive and do their nastiness, not warm, dry air so keep your rooms warm, cozy and moist.  Humidifiers are great, but if you don’t have one then put a small bowl or pan near your air vents will do the job.

Remember, eat well and get more rest can help as well.  Take care and stay well!