Healthy habits
Keep 'em clean. Hand washing is one of the most important things you can do to keep from getting and spreading colds and the flu. Using plain soap and warm water is as effective as using antibacterial soap. Carry an alcohol-based hand gel to use when you can't wash. (more below)
Stay healthy. Eating well (including antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables), getting plenty of rest, managing stress, and exercising can help you resist infection. Children and adults (especially seniors 65 or older) who have a chronic health condition or weakened immune system should get a pneumonia vaccination.
Kick the habit. If you smoke, we have a variety of resources to help you quit. Keep your children away from secondhand smoke. It's bad for their health and can cause cold-like symptoms.
Breastfeed your baby. This will help keep your baby healthy and reduce the risk of colds and ear infections.
No pass zone
Cover your cough. Cold and flu viruses are spread through the air [even 8 and 10 feet beyond an infected individual]. Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your sleeve [elbow or shoulder] to trap the virus [where others won't touch and pick it up]. If you cough into your hands, wash them as soon as you can.
Clean your home. A sick person can spread germs by touching counter tops, telephones, toys, cups, or bathroom sinks. Find out how to keep a cold- and flu-free kitchen.
Use disposable tissues. Viruses can live on cloth handkerchiefs, so use — and throw away immediately — disposable tissues to reduce spreading your illness to others. [Find brands made of recycled materials at healthfood and similar stores.]
Avoid touching your face. Try not to rub your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs often spread this way.
Try not to pass it on. If you have a fever, try to stay home and rest at least 24 hours after fever is gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine. Can't stay home? Take every effort to be careful and not expose others.
Get the upper hand on germs
We can't say it enough. Hand washing is by far the best way to prevent viruses and bacteria from spreading — and to keep you and your kids from catching whatever bugs are going around.
How to wash your hands
A little sprinkle of water isn't going to get rid of viruses and bacteria. Wash thoroughly with soap and water:
Wet your hands and apply soap.
Rub your hands together and scrub them, front and back, a solid 15 to 20 seconds (about the time it takes to sing the "happy birthday" song twice through - teach kids this — it's fun for them to learn and they'll remember better). Don't forget your wrists and under your fingernails.
Rinse your hands well under running water.
If you're not at home and you're drying your hands with a paper towel, use it to turn off the faucet, and to open the bathroom door (to avoid reinfection from previous hands on the knob or push-plate) before discarding the paper towel properly.
Using plain soap and warm water is just as effective as using antibacterial soap.
How to use hand sanitizers
Can't get to a sink? Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers or hand wipes instead. Carry one or both with you, in your car, pocket and/or purse. Here's how to use them effectively:
Apply a nickel-size amount of product to the palm of one hand.
Rub the gel over all over your hands and fingers for about 20 seconds.
Keep rubbing until your hands are dry.
When should you wash your hands?
During the fall and winter cold and flu season, wash your hands often, and make sure you wash if you've come into contact with viruses, such as when:
you've blown your nose, coughed, or sneezed
someone in your home, or that you're caring for, is sick
you've come home from school, work, shopping, or a social event
Good hand hygiene will protect you all year round from other viruses and bacteria, too, so don't forget to wash when:
you've prepared poultry, raw eggs, meat, or seafood, which can carry bacteria that cause food poisoning.
you've used the bathroom or changed a diaper, which can expose you to infectious diseases such as salmonella and hepatitis A.
you've touched an animal or handled animal waste (kitty litterbox, pooperscooper, farm animal care, etc).
you've touched garbage or anything else that could be contaminated, such as a cleaning cloth, drain, or soil in the garden or plant pots.
you're about to treat a cut or just finished. |
Travel safe
If you've traveled, you know that shuttling from one destination to another involves lots of people and public places, which means exposure to countless viruses and bacteria. That's why it's as important to stick to the same healthy habits when you travel that you practice when you're at home:
Wash your hands often.
Use a hand sanitizer.
Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow.
Keep Your Kitchen's Clean Bill of Health
Your family and friends love hanging out in your kitchen. But it's also a favorite spot for some uninvited guests — germs that linger on sponges, sinks, and counters and could cause illness, especially during cold and flu season.
A few simple habits can keep your kitchen — and your loved ones — healthy:
Wipe down counters and appliances often with an environmentally friendly household sanitizer.
Disinfect your sponges frequently by running them through the dishwasher, or washing machine, or by soaking them in a bleach and water solution.
Wash your hands with soap and warm water thoroughly before preparing foods.
Try not to touch your eyes, nose, or mouth while you prepare food. If you do, wash your hands again immediately afterward.
If you're having coughing or sneezing, someone else should be preparing meals.
But if that's not possible, be alertto cough and sneeze into your sleeve or a tissue NOT ONTO FOOD BEING PREPARED OR PREP SURFACES, EVEN IF THE FOOD WILL BE COOKED. If you have to use your hands to contain a cough or sneeze, give them a quick complete scrub immediately afterward.
Even if yours is a single-person househould, practice these methods so you get the habits of automatically protecting your own health, and to avoid added pathogens worsening your situation if you do get a cold or flu.
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