FEBRUARY 10
What a crazy week… I have spent more time this week trying to decide what outfit to wear to match the weather than I care to admit.
Between the shorts and the mittens, I took both my teenagers to their annual physicals. For some reason the doctor decided to do a group appointment and it is quite funny to watch a 17 yo brother and 14yo sister get weighed together, get eyes checked together, etc.… the sarcasm and jokes were flying. I also warned them before entering “do not touch anything” since I read that this year’s flu season has been a doozy! My pediatrician confirmed that the last three weeks have been horrible, “the worst he’s ever seen.” I don’t know about your kids, but my teens know everything and I know nothing… so I am often forced to present my knowledge through someone else… like WebMD or Joseph Brownstein and the ABC News Medical Unit.
This is what I shared with the know-it-all loves of my life.
10 WAYS TO STAY FLU FREE (Credit to Joseph Brownstein and the ABC News Medical Unit)
- Wash Your Hands Regularly
- Don’t Touch Your Eyes, Nose, or Mouth
- Sanitize Your Keyboards, Phone, Door Knobs, etc. Regularly
- Exercise- Helps Boost Your Immune System
- Get Plenty of Sleep
- Avoid Shaking Hands- or Wash Them Immediately Afterwards
- Avoid Finger Foods
- Flu Vaccine
- Quite Smoking
- And this one is new to me, but makes a ton of sense…. Use a Humidifier and/or Saline Nasal Spray… because…“When the air outside gets colder, it gets a lot drier. It dries out the membranes of the nose,” said Ken Haller, an associate professor of pediatrics at St. Louis University. This is bad news for the mucous membranes, which rely on moisture to trap invading microbes and protect us from them. The mucous is sent to the stomach, where the acids it produces destroy the invaders. Because of that, keeping nasal passages moist is an important step. Additionally, in dry air, particles like the flu virus can stay airborne longer. By moistening the air, the water droplets will adhere to the particles, sending them downward. Even ensuring that you’re drinking enough water, Haller said, can help keep the body moist enough to protect against the flu.
So this weekend wind-up is STAY HEALTHY… We only have 37 days until SPRING!
By the way, spring training for the Nationals begins next week!
The WEEKEND WIND-UP is a United Wellness & Sports Rehab blog posted every Friday. WEEKEND WIND-UP’s goal is to get you ready for the weekend and hopefully some well-deserved “me time” or “we time” with your family and friends. Wellness articles will be shared, interviews with doctors and athletes, and thoughts on wellness for you to ponder. We hope you enjoy our menagerie of topics and guest writers.
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