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Protect Your Family from the Common Cold
As the song says, this is "the most wonderful time of the year." But it's also cold and flu season. And there are germs on every door handle just waiting to make their way into your home this winter.
So how do you protect yourself? We've got 10 tips for keeping your home germ-free and your family happy and healthy to enjoy this special season.
Wash your hands!Wash your hands!
This is so simple, but so many people forget to do it. Every time you shake someone's hand . or get change from a cashier . or even open a door . your hands become contaminated with germs. Germs that could make you sick. And these germs can live for hours - sometimes even days, - on your hands. So before you pick up your next sandwich, wash your hands! Just 30 seconds with soap and warm water will rid your hands of these pesky germs.
Drink plenty of fluids.Drink plenty of fluids.
Just like water helps to clean your hands of germs, it also helps to clean your body of germs. By drinking the recommended 8 ounces of water each day, you will help your body flush out those cold and flu germs.
Boost your immune system.Boost your immune system.
There are many vitamins and herbs that can help fight off the common cold. Vitamin C is the most well-known and can be found in a variety of fruits and vegetables - especially oranges. There are also Vitamin C supplements available at your drug store, as well as other immune-enhancing vitamins and herbs include zinc, eucalyptus, and echinacea.
Carry a hand sanitizer.Carry a hand sanitizer.
You're not always going to have easy access to soap and water when you're about to dig in for your afternoon snack. So having a hand sanitizer handy is key. Whether you carry it in your purse or keep it at your desk (or both), make sure to have one of the little travel bottles handy at all times.
Get a flu shot!Get a flu shot!
Despite a common misconception, you cannot get the flu as a result of getting the flu shot - at least the one given by injection - because it does not contain live flu germs. What the flu shot does is inject your body with dead germs and trick your immune system into thinking it's actually fighting the flu. Your immune system then learns how to defeat these germs so that if you are exposed to the real thing later in the winter, your body has already built up immunity to it.
