Tips to avoid catching a cold or flu
By Gillian Slade on November 25, 2019.
gslade@medicinehatnews.com Having recently had a cold I have been focusing on not passing the virus on to others – including those in my home. It is after all the season for colds and influenza and it is worth revisiting the precautions we should be taking. When you sneeze or cough be sure to either have a tissue at the ready or use your elbow and cough into your shirt or sweater sleeve. Be extra careful about surfaces in your home and clean them more often than you would normally. Wipe surfaces such as counter tops, light switches, faucets, the kettle handle and toaster with a damp cloth and some disinfectant. If you can do this on a daily basis you will greatly reduce the spread of illness among family members. It is also a good idea to have some basic over-the-counter cold remedies and a cough syrup in the house. When you feel a cold coming on the last thing you feel like doing is going on out on a cold day to a pharmacy. Drinking plenty of liquids is important when you have a cold. I like to keep a bottle of juice on hand. Diluting it, so that you are not having an abundance of sugar, can provide a pleasant taste and encourage you to drink more. Keeping lemons on hand and honey is another good idea. A squeeze of lemon juice and a spoonful of honey in hot water can be very soothing on a scratchy throat. Back to the idea of disinfecting surfaces in your home. There was a British research paper recently about antibiotic-resistant E.coli superbugs. Most of us are aware of the threat of under cooked chicken and also the need to clean surfaces where you have prepared raw chicken. This new research, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, focused on the E.coli risk from toilet hygiene. Even though we all know the importance of washing our hands in hot soapy water after using the toilet it is not unusual to see people in a public washroom not wash their hands. According to the research E.coli is the most common cause of blood poisoning. So while you are protecting yourself and your family by cleaning surfaces in your home with a disinfectant do not forget to clean the toilet thoroughly too. Every time you use the toilet make a point of using hot soapy water to wash your hands too. Here’s to staying healthy this winter and here’s To Your Health. To Your Health is a weekly column by Gillian Slade, health reporter for the News, bringing you news on health issues and research from around the world. You can reach her at gslade@medicinehatnews.com or 403-528-8635. 16-15
