By Psyche Pascual
CONSUMER HEALTH INTERACTIVEBelow:
• Get a flu shot
• Keep germs from spreading
• Eat a healthful diet and get sleep
Although you can't completely protect yourself from the germs that cause colds or the flu, you can lower your odds of getting sick. Follow the tips listed below to stay healthy this flu season. Get a flu shot • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that many people get a flu shot every year. It's especially important for children over 6 months old, people who have chronic illnesses (such as asthma and diabetes), and people who are pregnant, over age 65, or caregivers for someone in any of these high-risk groups. |
| •Call your doctor's office, health clinic, or even a local pharmacy about scheduling a flu shot. Many low-cost flu shots are also available at workplaces, senior centers, and retail stores. |
Keep germs from spreading | •Cough or sneeze into a tissue, then throw it out immediately afterward. If you don't have a tissue handy, cough or sneeze into your elbow or sleeve. (Teach kids these techniques, too!) |
| •Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you cough, sneeze, or touch your eyes. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are great for killing germs when you're on the go. When someone in your house is sick, antibacterial wipes are good to use on surfaces in high-traffic areas, such as kitchens and bathrooms. |
| •Don't touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. (You can spread germs from the mucus in your eyes and mouth this way.) |
| •Avoid close contact with sick people. |
| •If you feel sick or have a fever, stay home until the fever is gone for 24 hours (without having to take medicine to reduce it). If you're sick, limit contact with others unless you need a friend or relative to bring you medication or other supplies. |
Eat a healthful diet and get sleep Killing germs is one thing; staying healthy is another. Getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, and eating lots of fruits and vegetables will help keep your body's immune system working at its peak. And even if you do happen to get sick, you'll recover more quickly if you're well-rested and following a healthy diet. -- Psyche Pascual is the executive editor of Consumer Health Interactive.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC Says “Take 3” Steps To Fight The Flu. Aug. 5, 2009. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/preventing.htm
Reviewed by Michael Potter, MD, an attending physician and associate clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco, who is board-certified in family practice.
First published August 28, 2009
Copyright © 2009 Consumer Health Interactive
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