Effective Ways to Prevent Getting a Cold This Winter

Wash Your Hands ALL THE TIME and Wash Them Better

Just walked in the door after work? Wash your hands. In the locker room after a good work out? Wash your hands. About to eat lunch at your desk? Wash your hands. If the thought “I haven’t really touched anything” enters your head as an excuse as to why you probably don’t need to wash your hands, wash them anyways. Not to freak you out, but germs are everywhere! You don’t know who “cleaned” your desk or coughed over it. Better to be safe. You should also make sure you actually know how to wash your hands properly. The issue is that most people don’t wash their hands for long enough. You need to actually scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. That doesn’t mean rub some soap between the palms of your hands, but actually make sure you get between your fingers and on your fingernails! Using soap efficiently is way more important than making sure the water is hot.

Eat Healthier
Staying hydrated and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables might be the best thing you can do to keep a cold at bay. This might be TMI, but apparently when the mucous membranes in the nose and throat are moist they are better equipped to fight off infections. So drink that water! Anti-oxidants are also very important, which are found in many vegetables. Fruits also have plenty of vitamins in them. One kiwi gives you 100 per cent of your vitamin C, which has been known to fight colds. And don’t forget the protein!

Exercise More
How is running my body down going to stop me from getting sick? Well, I wouldn’t recommend starting an intense exercise routine as soon as you feel a cold coming on. But making an effort to get more active while you are healthy is a good way to help keep the colds at bay over the cold winter months. More exercise means a healthier body, which means you will be better able to fight off any viruses that do make their way into your system. The trick is balance. If you are feeling particularly exhausted one day, sleep in instead of hitting the gym. But even if you are feeling under the weather, sometimes light exercise can actually make you feel a little better!

Sanitize
Clean your keyboard and mouse, your light switches, your doorknobs, and YOUR PHONE. Think about everything you touch during the day and how many other people touch exactly those things. Keep some disinfectant wipes at your desk at work and wipe all your surfaces down in the morning. Start a daily routine of wiping down surfaces in your home.

Get Enough Sleep
Sleep isn’t just some annoying thing you have to do every night for no apparent reason. It actually serves a purpose, which is why it’s so alarming that people are totally okay with consistently depriving themselves of sleep. One important thing your body is doing while you are sleeping is recharging your immune system. If you are tired, don’t you think your immune system might be tired, too? Okay, so maybe it doesn’t work exactly like that, but this goes back to the eating healthy and exercising pieces of advice. If your body is in top condition, it makes sense that it will be better equipped to fight off illnesses. Don’t skip out on the sleep – you definitely need it!

Touch Your Face Less
Most common colds are rhinoviruses, which means the site of infection is in your nose. Virus particles get into your mucous membranes and infect you. It’s actually more difficult than you think for virus particles to find their way into your nose. Rarely does this happen with air born particles. Usually it’s your hands that are the culprits, carrying those viruses directly to your nose! Your tear ducts are also a path to your nose, so rubbing your eyes is a problem as well. Basically, keep your hands away from your face at all costs!

Be Careful with Your Sneeze
Okay, so this one won’t help YOU not get sick, but if other people see you doing this then they might feel more comfortable doing it as well, which will help you in the long run.
Don’t sneeze into your hand (if you accidentally do, wash your hands immediately!). Instead, sneeze into a tissue (and throw it out immediately as germs can live on there for hours) or, better yet, into your elbow. The elbow sneeze is all the rage, people!  

Source: www.thedailyeight.com

Effective Ways to Prevent Getting a Cold This Winter

Wash Your Hands ALL THE TIME and Wash Them Better Just walked in the door after work? Wash your hands. In the locker room after a good work out? Wash your hands. About to eat lunch at your desk? Wash your hands. If the thought I havent really touched anything enters your head as an excuse as to why you probably dont need to wash your hands, wash them anyways. Not to freak you out, but germs are everywhere! You dont know who cleaned your desk or coughed over it. Better to be safe. You should also make sure you actually know how to wash your hands properly. The issue is that most people dont wash their hands for long enough. You need to actually scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. That doesnt mean rub some soap between the palms of your hands, but actually make sure you get between your fingers and on your fingernails! Using soap efficiently is way more important than making sure the water is hot. Eat Healthier Staying hydrated and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables might be the best thing you can do to keep a cold at bay. This might be TMI, but apparently when the mucous membranes in the nose and throat are moist they are better equipped to fight off infections. So drink that water! Anti-oxidants are also very important, which are found in many vegetables. Fruits also have plenty of vitamins in them. One kiwi gives you 100 per cent of your vitamin C, which has been known to fight colds. And dont forget the protein! Exercise More How is running my body down going to stop me from getting sick? Well, I wouldnt recommend starting an intense exercise routine as soon as you feel a cold coming on. But making an effort to get more active while you are healthy is a good way to help keep the colds at bay over the cold winter months. More exercise means a healthier body, which means you will be better able to fight off any viruses that do make their way into your system. The trick is balance. If you are feeling particularly exhausted one day, sleep in instead of hitting the gym. But even if you are feeling under the weather, sometimes light exercise can actually make you feel a little better! Sanitize Clean your keyboard and mouse, your light switches, your doorknobs, and YOUR PHONE. Think about everything you touch during the day and how many other people touch exactly those things. Keep some disinfectant wipes at your desk at work and wipe all your surfaces down in the morning. Start a daily routine of wiping down surfaces in your home. Get Enough Sleep Sleep isnt just some annoying thing you have to do every night for no apparent reason. It actually serves a purpose, which is why its so alarming that people are totally okay with consistently depriving themselves of sleep. One important thing your body is doing while you are sleeping is recharging your immune system. If you are tired, dont you think your immune system might be tired, too? Okay, so maybe it doesnt work exactly like that, but this goes back to the eating healthy and exercising pieces of advice. If your body is in top condition, it makes sense that it will be better equipped to fight off illnesses. Dont skip out on the sleep you definitely need it! Touch Your Face Less Most common colds are rhinoviruses, which means the site of infection is in your nose. Virus particles get into your mucous membranes and infect you. Its actually more difficult than you think for virus particles to find their way into your nose. Rarely does this happen with air born particles. Usually its your hands that are the culprits, carrying those viruses directly to your nose! Your tear ducts are also a path to your nose, so rubbing your eyes is a problem as well. Basically, keep your hands away from your face at all costs! Be Careful with Your Sneeze Okay, so this one wont help YOU not get sick, but if other people see you doing this then they might feel more comfortable doing it as well, which will help you in the long run. Dont sneeze into your hand (if you accidentally do, wash your hands immediately!). Instead, sneeze into a tissue (and throw it out immediately as germs can live on there for hours) or, better yet, into your elbow. The elbow sneeze is all the rage, people! Source: www.thedailyeight.com