When the colder months of fall and winter come around, it seems that people get sick more often than other times of the year. The main reason for this is that people move inside when it is cold outside, and with them come all the germs they are carrying around. With all these germs in confined spaces, it is much easier to pick something up and spread it around. Soon everyone is sick. So, how can you protect your family during this time of year? Here’s a look at some things you need to do to keep your family healthy in the fall and winter.
Learn About Common Illnesses
You should start by learning a bit more about the illnesses that are common in the colder months. Understanding more about them will allow you to better fight them and protect your family against them. You can easily go online and look at different sources, like this http://respiratorytherapy.uc.edu/resources/respiratory-therapy or other medical websites, to learn more about illnesses that include the common cold, the flu, ear infections and bronchitis.
Most of these are viruses that are spread through contact or exposure to someone who has the virus. For example, if someone has a cold and coughs without covering their mouth, the virus is dispersed into the air where everyone in the area can breathe it in and get infected. Another common way viruses are spread are by someone who is sick touching something that someone else then touches. If the uninfected person then makes a sandwich and eats it, they could ingest the virus and get sick.
Take Extra Steps Towards Health
One of the top ways to prevent the spread of Viruses is to wash your hands often. Hands should always be washed before eating and after going to the bathroom. If hands can’t be washed, then hand sanitizer should be used.
You should also clean your house often. Make sure to wipe surfaces with a disinfectant, especially if someone in your home is sick. Be sure to wipe down areas that are touched often, like door knobs, handrails and light switches. This will help to kill any lingering germs.
Encourage Good Habits
You also need to encourage good habits in your family members to help keep them healthy. Make sure to remind children to wash their hands often. Provide tissues and remind family members to use them when they sneeze or blow their nose as opposed to a cloth handkerchief, which will provide a good breeding ground for germs. Make sure children are taught to always cover their mouth when they cough and to cover their mouth and nose when they sneeze.
You also should encourage healthy eating and regular exercise. The healthier a person is, the stronger their immune system is. This will enable them to more easily fight off any germs that do end up coming their way.
Keeping your family healthy when it seems like everyone around you is sick can feel like a huge battle. However, following some simple tips and adopting healthy habits can help you fend off the worst germs this year and keep your family healthy.
*Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post but all views expressed are solely my own.*