There is no known cure for a cold or the flu, so prevention is the name of the game from November through April (cold and flu season). Cold and flu viruses are often passed along from person to person and surface to surface in the workplace, at home and at school. According to the CDC, people are most contagious during the first 2-3 days of contracting a cold; and almost immediately and for about 5 days thereafter–even before symptoms develop-- after contracting the flu.
A proactive approach to warding off colds and flu can make your whole life healthier. You can’t cure them, but they are not inevitable.
1. First and foremost, the best way to avoid flu is to get a flu shot or FluMist.
Anyone who wants to reduce the likelihood of becoming ill with the flu or spreading flu to others should get a seasonal flu shot.
Other preventive techniques for cold and flu include:
2. Wash Your Hands
Most cold and flu viruses are spread by direct contact. Someone who has the flu sneezes onto their hand, and then touches the telephone, a desktop, or a kitchen glass. The germs can live for hours or even weeks on a surface, only to be picked up by the next person who touches the same object. So wash your hands often, for at least 15-20 seconds, with soap. If no sink is available, sanitize with an alcohol-gel hand sanitizer.
3. Clean shared items
Any surface that multiple people come into contact with is a potential source of flu or cold viruses. Wipe down phones, keyboards, handles and doorknobs with alcohol wipes or other sanitizer- type wipes.
4. Don't Cover Your Sneezes and Coughs With Your Hands
Germs and viruses cling to your bare hands, so covering coughs and sneezes with your hands results in passing along your germs to others. When you feel a sneeze or cough coming, use a tissue, then throw it away immediately. If you don’t have a tissue cough or sneeze into your elbow rather than your hand
5. Don't Touch Your Face
Cold and flu viruses enter your body through the eyes, nose, or mouth. Touching their faces is the major way people catch colds.
6. Drink Plenty of Fluids
Water flushes your system, washing out the poisons as it rehydrates you. If you reuse your water bottle, be sure to wash it out daily. Do not share bottles, cups or straws with anyone.
7. Take a Sauna
Researchers aren't clear about the exact role saunas play in prevention, but one 1989 German study found that people who steamed twice a week got half as many colds as those who didn't. One theory: When you take a sauna you inhale air hotter than 80 degrees, a temperature too hot for cold and flu viruses to survive.
8. Get Fresh Air
Fresh air is important, especially in cold weather when indoor heating dries you out and makes your body more vulnerable to cold and flu viruses. Also, during cold weather more people stay indoors, which means more germs are circulating in crowded, dry rooms.
9. Do Aerobic Exercise Regularly
Aerobic exercise speeds up the heart to pump larger quantities of blood, makes you breathe faster to help transfer oxygen from your lungs to your blood, and makes you sweat once your body heats up. These exercises help increase the body's natural virus-killing cells.
10. Eat Foods Containing Phytochemicals
"Phyto" means plants, and the natural chemicals in plants give the vitamins in food a supercharged boost. So eat dark green, red, and yellow vegetables and fruits.
11. Eat healthy foods such as whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables.
12. Eat Yogurt
Some studies have shown that eating a daily cup of low-fat yogurt can reduce your susceptibility to colds by 25 percent. Researchers think the beneficial bacteria in yogurt may stimulate production of immune system substances that fight disease.
13. Don't Smoke
Statistics show that heavy smokers get more severe colds and more frequent ones. Even being around smoke profoundly zaps the immune system. Smoke dries out your nasal passages and paralyzes cilia, the delicate hairs that line the mucous membranes in your nose and lungs that sweep cold and flu viruses out of the nasal passages. Experts contend that one cigarette can paralyze cilia for as long as 30 to 40 minutes.
14. Cut Alcohol Consumption
Heavy alcohol use destroys the liver, the body's primary filtering system, which means that germs of all kinds won't leave your body as fast. The result is, heavier drinkers are more prone to initial infections as well as secondary complications. Alcohol also dehydrates the body -- it actually takes more fluids from your system than it puts in.
15. Relax
There's evidence that when you relax, your interleukins -- leaders in the immune system response against cold and flu viruses -- increase in the bloodstream.
16. Avoid close contact with anyone who has a cold or flu
Although you can’t always tell when someone has a cold or the flu, if it seems obvious, avoid him or her. If a co-worker is ill, take steps to clean any shared surfaces, such as the coffee maker or door handles.
17. Avoid contact with known allergens
Allergies affecting the nose or throat may increase the chances of getting a cold or flu.
18. Let fresh air into your home at least once a week even if it is extremely cold outside.
Studies have shown that the air inside your home is 2 to 5 times worse than the air outside. Allowing fresh air in will help to get stale, unhealthy air out and fresh air in!
19. Avoid kissing on the lips of you feel yourself getting sick.
This includes your children as well as significant others!
20. STAY HOME IF YOU ARE SICK!
If you are sick, stay home till your contagious period passes. And with WhiteGlove House Call Health membership, you can stay home, even if you need medical care.
As a WhiteGlove member, you pay a single, fixed affordable visit fee. Our nurse practitioner will come you your home (or office) from 8 am to 8 pm, 365 days a year. This visit includes medical care, generic Rx meds, and our well-kit with chicken soup, crackers, Gatorade, ginger ale, Tylenol, Jell-O, Kleenex, cough drops, and more. In addition, you don’t have to spend money on gas, parking, tolls, Rx meds, etc.
Remember to get your flu shot or FluMist and use these helpful tips to stay healthy. But if you do get ill, call WhiteGlove House Call Health at 1-877-329-8081.
Showing posts with label flu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flu. Show all posts
Monday, December 27, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
Flu Season Approaches
Back to school means many things to many people, but one thing it means to everyone is that flu season is starting soon! So along with all the other details that must be attended to at this time of year, add getting your annual flu shot to the list!
For those of you (or your children) who cringe at the idea of a shot, there is an alternative. FluMist is an annual nasal spray vaccine for that offers the same protection from the flu as the traditional shot.
FluMist vs. Flu Shots
In addition to the benefit of not getting a shot, several studies have shown that FluMist may actually provide better protection against the flu than a flu shot. One study from the Journal of Pediatrics concluded, "Live attenuated influenza vaccine was a safe and more effective alternative to inactivated vaccine."
WhiteGlove House Call Health now has a supply of FluMist available to help you get a jump on the approaching flu season. Since school is starting soon - if you act now this could be one less thing to worry about! This seasons' flu vaccine includes H1N1 so you get everything in one dose.
There is a charge for the FluMist, call us (877-329-8081) and we can tell you how much based on your specific membership type.
FluMist Isn’t For Everyone
You should not get FluMist if you are:
· Under 2 years of age
· Or Over 50 years of age.
You should also not get FluMist if you have:
· Asthma or other chronic heart or lung diseases, or kidney failure, diabetes, or illnesses that weaken the immune system
· Chronic underlying medical conditions that may predispose you to severe flu infections
· Are allergic to eggs or to a previous dose of the vaccine
· Or are pregnant.
To read more about who should and should not receive FluMist, refer to the CDC website.
Want the shot, not the spray? Our supply of flu shots will arrive late this month or early next month if you would prefer the shot. We'll let you know when we get them in. As always, WhiteGlove House Call Health will come to your home or office to administer your FluMist or flu shot, 365 days a year, from 8 am to 8 pm.
Note: While most people will just require one dose of FluMist each year, children 2 to 8 years old need two doses at least 4 weeks apart the first year that they get FluMist.
For those of you (or your children) who cringe at the idea of a shot, there is an alternative. FluMist is an annual nasal spray vaccine for that offers the same protection from the flu as the traditional shot.
FluMist vs. Flu Shots
In addition to the benefit of not getting a shot, several studies have shown that FluMist may actually provide better protection against the flu than a flu shot. One study from the Journal of Pediatrics concluded, "Live attenuated influenza vaccine was a safe and more effective alternative to inactivated vaccine."
WhiteGlove House Call Health now has a supply of FluMist available to help you get a jump on the approaching flu season. Since school is starting soon - if you act now this could be one less thing to worry about! This seasons' flu vaccine includes H1N1 so you get everything in one dose.
There is a charge for the FluMist, call us (877-329-8081) and we can tell you how much based on your specific membership type.
FluMist Isn’t For Everyone
You should not get FluMist if you are:
· Under 2 years of age
· Or Over 50 years of age.
You should also not get FluMist if you have:
· Asthma or other chronic heart or lung diseases, or kidney failure, diabetes, or illnesses that weaken the immune system
· Chronic underlying medical conditions that may predispose you to severe flu infections
· Are allergic to eggs or to a previous dose of the vaccine
· Or are pregnant.
To read more about who should and should not receive FluMist, refer to the CDC website.
Want the shot, not the spray? Our supply of flu shots will arrive late this month or early next month if you would prefer the shot. We'll let you know when we get them in. As always, WhiteGlove House Call Health will come to your home or office to administer your FluMist or flu shot, 365 days a year, from 8 am to 8 pm.
Note: While most people will just require one dose of FluMist each year, children 2 to 8 years old need two doses at least 4 weeks apart the first year that they get FluMist.
Monday, January 18, 2010
How To Tell The Difference Between Cold, Flu And Allergies
A cold, the flu and allergies have many overlapping symptoms, and so it can often be hard to tell which you have. To decide which you have, go through the complete list of traditional symptoms, and compare them to the chart below.
In general:
1. Colds are above the shoulder - Cold symptoms are milder and usually above the shoulders; runny nose, sore throat and stuffy nose are the most common symptoms. Aches and pains and a cough can also be present.
2. The flu is all over - The flu is more severe and includes a fever, body aches, headaches, fatigue and, sometimes a cough. Less common but still possible with the flu are sneezing, sore throat and stuffy nose.
3. Allergies are in the nose - Allergies are in the nose with nasal congestion, post-nasal drip, and clear nasal drainage. Fatigue is another common symptom. Often there will be severe itching in the nose, eyes and throat. All of these symptoms with come and go with the allergy counts and of course and person’s individual allergies.
The good news is that all of these illnesses can be diagnosed and treated by a medical professional, and if you live in our service areas, in the comfort of your own home. Call WhiteGlove House Call Health to schedule an appointment in your home or office. We’ll come to you, and bring prescription or over the counter medications to make you feel better. We’ll even bring chicken soup!
In general:
1. Colds are above the shoulder - Cold symptoms are milder and usually above the shoulders; runny nose, sore throat and stuffy nose are the most common symptoms. Aches and pains and a cough can also be present.
2. The flu is all over - The flu is more severe and includes a fever, body aches, headaches, fatigue and, sometimes a cough. Less common but still possible with the flu are sneezing, sore throat and stuffy nose.
3. Allergies are in the nose - Allergies are in the nose with nasal congestion, post-nasal drip, and clear nasal drainage. Fatigue is another common symptom. Often there will be severe itching in the nose, eyes and throat. All of these symptoms with come and go with the allergy counts and of course and person’s individual allergies.
The good news is that all of these illnesses can be diagnosed and treated by a medical professional, and if you live in our service areas, in the comfort of your own home. Call WhiteGlove House Call Health to schedule an appointment in your home or office. We’ll come to you, and bring prescription or over the counter medications to make you feel better. We’ll even bring chicken soup!
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