LesTout: Keep Infections From Spreading

Keep Infections From Spreading : Open in New Window

Whether it’s a common cold, or incurable AIDS, infection is the key cause. Infections spread because germs are present and live on people, plants, in food or soil, and in some cases in water. Germs enter the host by direct or indirect contact and you may not be immune to it, so you will develop the illness.

But you can prevent the germ from entering your system if you take some precautions. For starters, look at your lifestyle. Do you practice good hygiene, such as frequent showers? Do you maintain a clean home? Do you cook foods to the proper temperature and keep the foods in your refrigerator fresh? Is your immunization record up to date with flu shots and vaccines?

The first and best way to prevent the spread of infection is to wash your hands, especially before preparing or eating food. Wash after using the toilet, changing a diaper, sneezing, or blowing your nose. And wash your hands after coming in from outside to keep other germs from invading your home.

Keep the fresh air circulating in your house by changing your furnace filters and having windows open, even in winter. You might consider buying an inexpensive air purifier, available from your local drug store, or growing lots of house plants. If you are a pet owner, change your cat’s litter box daily and never handle aquarium water. Use liquid soap instead of bar soap. Keep your bathroom clean, using a bleach-based cleaner on the toilet, sink and tub and wash the floor at least every week.

In the kitchen be sure to wash fruits and vegetables under running water and clean your cutting boards frequently. Never use cracked eggs. Clean your can opener after each use. And thaw meat in the microwave, never at room temperature. Use disposable dish cloths as they carry germs which even laundering can’t kill. Some homemakers believe giving them a minute or two in the microwave will eliminate the germs.

You can keep your immune system functioning by eating plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains, and by taking a vitamin supplement every day. Get lots of sleep and keep active. And keep yourself happy and in a positive frame of mind by building good relationships with your friends and family, and your Creator.

The introduction of instant hand sanitizers, which use alcohol to destroy germs, has provided a convenient and very effective way to prevent the spread of infection. A small bottle can be carried about in a purse, glove compartment, or pocket, and a small amount can kill 99.99 percent of germs without any water or towels. Although the manufacturers have added moisturizers and vitamin E to counteract the drying tendency of the alcohols, you may need to use hand lotion more often, but the effectiveness of the hand sanitizer is worth it.

If you have small children, teach them at a young age to cover their mouth when coughing or sneezing to prevent the millions of germ particles from spreading. And ensure you are doing the same! Kids under the age of two haven’t built up their immune systems yet and may get eight to 10 colds a year, especially in fall and winter when people are in closer proximity to each other. Once you get a cold, you become immune to that virus, but there are many others waiting to infect you, so you have to be constantly fighting them with good hygiene. Cold germs spread easily amongst young children because of their habit of putting everything into their mouths and because they are often in daycares with many other youngsters. Wash toys frequently.

Keep yourself and your family healthy all year long by adopting preventive strategies and you will enjoy many days of infection-free fun.