Stay healthy
These 10 tips will help you not to catch a cold this year
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Everyone is coughing and sniffling, so it’s very difficult not to get sick. But there are things you can do to avoid catching a cold. These 10 tips will help you!
As soon as it gets cold and wet outside again, people start coughing and sniffling everywhere. If you now think that you cannot defend yourself against infection anyway, you are thinking wrong. There are definitely things you can do to avoid catching a cold. These 10 tips will help you!
1. Remember your thumbs when washing your hands
Hard to believe, but true: Many people forget when washing their hands that their thumbs also need to be cleaned thoroughly with soap. We use our thumbs all the time, for example to operate our smartphones. And its display has been proven to be a huge bacterial herd.
2. Don’t put bags on the floor
If possible, you should never put bags or backpacks on the floor, especially in public spaces – especially not in toilets. Because on the floor there are countless little ones that you then drag home with you and maybe spread on the table or worktop, when you put the bag down there. It is best to hang bags, rucksacks and the like on a hook or place them on a free chair. If this is not possible, the bag should be washed regularly.
3. Separate toothbrushes
There is a multitude of bacteria in our oral flora. But cold pathogens also make themselves comfortable on the oral mucosa and then get stuck on the toothbrush. That’s why used toothbrushes should be stored separately – especially if someone in the house is already ill.
4. Disinfect all drawer handles
Most remember to disinfect door handles. But there are many more handles and knobs in the house that need cleaning as well. These include, for example, those on drawers or cupboards. Usually, wiping them down about weekly is enough. If a family member has a cold, it is best to clean all handles every day.
5. Leave your shoes at the door
Our shoes go everywhere with us – unfortunately also through puddles and dirt. Accordingly, a lot of germs stick to the soles, which we then carry into the house and thus onto carpets and the like. This is a real germ trap, especially for babies and toddlers who are still sliding and crawling on the floor.
6. Don’t eat your lunch at your desk
Quite apart from the fact that a break shouldn’t be taken at work anyway, it’s also unwise to eat there. Because microbiologists warn: The classic office workplace can contain up to 100 times more germs than a toilet seat. Therefore: Better to eat in the break room or outside and wipe down your own workplace yourself from time to time with a disinfectant.
7. Don’t take your cell phone to the bathroom
The lords of creation will probably not like to hear that, but: The smartphone should not be taken to the toilet. The probability that it will then be contaminated with faecal germs is quite high. By the way, it is best to wipe the smartphone display clean every few days with a disinfectant wipe.
8. Always have some yogurt in the fridge
A Canadian study shows that Probiotics, such as those found in yogurt, can help prevent upper respiratory infections. Ideally, it should be eaten with dark berries, such as blueberries – these also boost the immune system.
9. Change the bed sheets at least every two weeks
Yes, it’s annoying to constantly wash bed linen, towels, etc., but you shouldn’t do without it, especially during the cold season. Because germs and bacteria feel right at home in it and can easily migrate from you to your partner and back! Therefore bed linen should be washed at least every fourteen days, better yet every week. Important: The pathogens die only from 60 degrees.
10. Keep the air humid
Dry air also dries out our mucous membranes, making it easier for viruses and bacteria to colonize. To prevent this, the humidity should be around 35 to 55 percent. On the one hand, it helps to open all the windows completely three times a day for about five minutes and air them out and on the other hand, to attach so-called air humidifiers to the heating. These are available in every hardware store. Alternatively, a small bowl of water on the heater will do. However, the water should be changed regularly.
What if I got caught?
Then our home remedies for coughs and home remedies for sore throats will help you get well again quickly!
Source: Brigitte
