Yesterday I was on the train and a man sat beside me and almost immediately started coughing. After the second cough I got up, stepped away from him and started breathing through my scarf. One of the most annoying things to me is to see people who are obviously sick (and otherwise) cough and sneeze into open air or in the palm of their hands then quickly grab a surface everybody touches. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the flu virus can live on a surface for up to eight hours. Think of all the surfaces you touch throughout the day and think of how many people would have touched that surface before you. I honestly cringe at the thought. Here are a few tips to reduce the chances of you getting or spreading the flu this season:
Wash Your Hands
Washing your hands is probably the single most important thing you can do to avoid catching the flu. Be sure to constantly wash your hands to rid them of the germs that may cause you to get sick. Here’s how: Wet your hands and add soap. Rub hands vigorously together for about 20 seconds. Be sure to wash the back of the hands, between your fingers and under your nails. Rinse, dry then apply a moisturizer.
Suggested Product:
Bath & Body Works Antibacterial Deep Foaming Hand Soap
Bath & Body Works Anti-Bacterial Hand Soap is the perfect way to refresh your hands and kill off powerful germs – plus the wide variety of fragrances will leave your hands smelling delicious all day long.
Price: $5.50 each
Where to buy: Bath & Body Works store locations or www.bathandbodyworks.com.
Carry Hand Sanitizer with you at ALL times
It is virtually impossible to be out and about and not touch surfaces touched by others. This is why it is imperative to carry a hand sanitizer with you at all time. Using about a quarter size amount on your hands will kill over 99.9% of germs. Apply the hand sanitizer in much the same way you would wash your hands.
Suggested Product:
Bath & Body Works Anti-Bacterial PocketBac Sanitizing Hand Gel
Price: $1.50 each
Where to buy: Bath & Body Works store locations or www.bathandbodyworks.com.
Protect Others
If you sneeze or cough, do so into a tissue then dispose of tissue in a trash can or put it in a zip lock bag and keep it with you until you can properly dispose of it. If you don’t have tissues, fold your arm at the elbow and use it to cover your nose and mouth face. If you do sneeze into your hand, apply sanitizer or wash your hands immediately. If you have symptoms or signs of the flu, stay away from people as much as you can.
Suggested Product:
Kleenex Pocket Pack Facial Tissue
Price: $2.99
Where to buy: Drugstore.com (Or Your local supermarket, convenience store or pharmacy)
Be Proactive
If you think you are getting the flu, here are a few suggestions I found on Prevention.com.
- Zinc –According to David L. Katz, MD, MPH, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center “30 mg of Zinc taken at the very start of a cold will shorten it by about half a day,” Look for Zicam or Cold-Eeze. By slowing the multiplication of the virus in the nose and throat, these products appear to shorten colds.
- Ginseng-powered supplements – Consider taking Ginseng-powered supplements that contain North American ginseng extract when you feel a cold coming on. According to a study by the Center for Immunotherapy of Cancer and Infectious Diseases at the University of Connecticut, subjects who took two daily capsules of Cold-fX caught half as many colds as a group taking a placebo, When they did get sick, their symptoms lasted less than half as long. This particular ginseng variety contains compounds that increase white blood cells and interleukins, proteins the immune system relies on.
If you are certain you have the flu, visit your doctor immediately. The sooner you start treating your flu, the better.
Suggested Products:
Zicam Cold Remedy
Reduces the duration and severity of cold symptoms. Taking Zicam Cold Remedy at the first sign of a cold reduces the duration and severity of the common cold.
Price: $12.99
Where to buy: Drugstore.com (Or Your local supermarket, convenience store or pharmacy)
Boiron Oscillococcinum Flu Remedy
For temporary relief of symptoms of flu such as fever, chills, body aches and pains.
Price: $13.95
Where to buy: C.O. Bigelow or www.bigelowchemists.com.
Cold-FX
Clinically proven to reduce the frequency, severity and duration of colds and flus.
Price: $12.99
Where to buy: visit Cold-FX.com and enter your location to find a store near you.
There is nothing sexy about getting the flu. Follow these quick and easy steps this flu season and protect yourself and those around you.
