It can seem to be a difficult task to stay healthy during any wave of illness, particularly in cold and flu season. To protect yourself and your family, there are many steps you can take to stay healthy. Here are a few practical ideas to prevent the spread of illness.
Wear a Mask
Wearing a mask, face shield or combination mask/shield such as protective shield-19 is a great first line of defense against germs. In addition to helping contain your respiratory droplets (which may be carrying germs to others), they can also prevent other people’s respiratory droplets from entering your body too.
Masks and face shields may also help prevent users from touching their faces and introducing germs into their bodies. A growing body of research demonstrates that simply put, masks really work at preventing germs from spreading.
Wash Your Hands
Handwashing is an essential step in preventing illness both in yourself and others. Although you might already be in the habit of washing your hands at routine times such as after using the toilet or completing messy tasks (such as taking out the trash), do you wash your hands at other critical times? The CDC recommends washing your hands at some times that you might not expect, such as before and after eating, after handling pet food and after blowing your nose. Hand sanitizer isn’t an adequate substitute for handwashing either; though it will work in a pinch for cleaning up, hand sanitizer doesn’t get rid of germs the way that proper handwashing does.
You might be surprised to know that you may not be washing your hands the right way. After you wet your hands, apply soap and scrub for at least 20 seconds (try using a stopwatch to time yourself — it’s longer than you think), then rinse your hands. Many people try to combine the last two steps by scrubbing with soap while running hands under the tap, but this often rinses off the soap before it gets a chance to work.
Make Healthy Choices
Eating right, getting regular exercise, and getting adequate sleep are all essential steps to staying in good general health, but did you know that these same habits can help your body prevent and fight illness too? By taking care of your body every day, you help maintain a strong immune system, which will equip your body to fight germs.
When it comes to staying healthy, taking a few extra steps can help your body stay illness-free. It may seem difficult to maintain these habits, but keep in mind that these steps help your body in countless ways, so the investment is truly worthwhile.
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