Even though you've taken all the recommended precautions, you still wake up feeling congested, sore, and miserable. The common cold or flu may happen to the best of us, but how we treat ourselves once we're sick can be the difference between a seven-day cold or one that lasts for just a few days.
Last week I was miserable with a cold — runny nose, zero energy, aches and pains, and horrible congestion. Basically, I was a wreck. Given that the mister was sick the week prior, it's pretty likely he was the giver of my nasty present.
When my loved ones are sick, I usually do my best to take care of them. My mama bear instincts come out, and I totally forget that I'm putting myself in the line of fire. I cook big batches of spicy soups, make sure they have an arsenal of meds at their bedside, and keep them company since they're stuck at home.
A colleague of mine said that the minute anyone in her house gets sick, she wipes down every doorknob and light switch and sticks to limited contact. A friend of mine takes it up a notch and won't even see her boyfriend if he's sick. Everyone else seems to load up on zinc and echinacea in order to protect themselves. Based on these stories, I am now rethinking how I handle sick friends and family. For the record, these two women are remarkably always OK and seem to escape the cold and flu when it's going around. Yet, I always succumb to it even though I keep a very healthy and active lifestyle.
I'm wondering what all of you do when someone close to you gets sick — do you get into nurture mode, practice careful restraint, or banish them to an island?
When the weather was warmer, I admit that I often left the gym or yoga studio in my sweaty workout clothes and showered at home. Staying in damp clothes for a short amount of time isn't the worst thing in the world, but if you're prone to acne or yeast infections, it's not something you should make a habit out of doing.
Now that temperatures are dropping, don't even think about lazily pulling on some sweatpants and a jacket over your moist clothes and skin. It's imperative to change out of wet clothes even if you're going home to shower. When you walk out into the freezing air, your wet clothes are going to make you very chilly. Although you can't catch a cold or the flu from the frigid air, being cold for too long definitely weakens your immune system, so if you do come in contact with germs, you're more likely to get sick. Before heading out to work out, be sure to pack a change of clean, dry clothes in your bag, as I'm sure you're willing to do anything to decrease your chances of getting sick this season.
Spring may be on its way, but we're still not in the clear when it comes to cold and flu season. Germs are still lurking everywhere, so take a few minutes to disinfect the things you touch every day at work, in your home, and in your car.
| At Work | At Home | In Your Car |
|
|
|
We are in the middle of cold and flu season, and folks seem to be falling like flies. The common cold viruses can live on surfaces for up to two days, which means if you are sharing your house with someone who is sick, you best pay attention to the household handles you share with your sick friend or loved one.
To protect yourself, you should disinfect a few common home hot spots. Be sure to disinfect these areas regularly:
Remember, your best line of defense is to wash your hands regularly.
Cold season is upon us. It can be difficult to avoid germs everywhere you go, but at least you can try to keep your home germ-free. New research found that the common cold virus lurks in places we rarely clean. So, next time you're cleaning your house, make sure you wipe down the following cold virus hot spots, and you may even wipe out your chances of catching a cold (at home, at least).
Source
Cold season is upon us, and if you've been reading FitSugar, then you know that I do all I can to keep the bugs away. Washing my hands frequently has always been my number one defense against catching a cold, but WebMD has come up with some other natural ideas for cold prevention that I found useful as well. Plus, given the state of the economy right now, you'll be pleased to know that none of the tips will cost you a dime. Check out my favorite tips in this slideshow.
Source
Yogurt, like green tea, is one of those foods that I wonder why I don't eat more of. From the live and active cultures to its creamy taste, where can you go wrong?
Now that Fall is just around the corner I am starting to arm myself against cold season. Yogurt, of all things, is in my front line of defense. In fact, USA Today reported on a study that found subjects who ate 3/4 cup of yogurt each day had 25 percent fewer colds overall than non-yogurt eaters. And because it takes time for yogurt to boost your resistance to germs, the study recommends that you start eating the yogurt about three months before cold season, which is right about now. So add yogurt into your meal plans today, and hopefully you spend less time with a cold come November.
Fit's Tips: Try and keep tabs on the label to make sure it says "Live & Active Cultures," and I like to try and eat yogurt with the least amount of sugar I can find.
Have you been taking echinacea to ward of a cold this Spring? If so you're probably doing the right thing. Maybe.
Newsweek is reporting that new research has found that taking echinacea reduces the chances of getting a cold by 31 percent. And if you've already come down with one, the herb will make you feel better a day and a half earlier — may not seem like a lot but, oh the things I could do in a day in a half. With that being said, there are a few issues with this theory. The first is that researchers are not quite sure which of the more than 200 strains of the cold viruses are affected by echinacea, so it may do absolutely nothing for your cold. Also, echinacea has been found to interact with other medications adversely, so be sure to talk to your doctor before taking it.
It's been said over and over again: The best way to prevent getting a cold is to wash your hands frequently. Some people, especially the little people, have not quite grasped exactly that a quick rinse under the water does not cut it when it comes to getting rid of germs.
A great new product out there is SquidSoap ($15.99 for a 4 pack, plus $3.99 shipping and handling). How it works is when you push down on the SquidSoap pump, a marker puts a small ink mark on your hand. The ink is designed to wash off rather easily but not until you’ve washed your hands thoroughly 15-20 seconds, which happens to be the recommended amount of time. Genius!
This product is intended to teach kids how to properly wash their hands but I can think of a lot of grown ups that could use a couple of reviews on hand washing. Buy SquidSoap on SquidSoap.com.
