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Flu—Ways to Prevent it, or, More Accurately, Mother Knows Best

 
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There’s no other way to say it—getting the flu is the pits. Well, I suppose technically there are plenty of other ways to say it but not too many of them would be appropriate for this website.

If you’ve made it through the winter so far without getting the flu, good for you! So far millions of people in our country alone have contracted some form of the flu, from the Type A influenza strain to the new flu kid on the block, the H1N1 or “swine” flu.

Technically, flu, or influenza, is a viral infection that typically attacks your nose, throat, bronchial tubes and/or lungs. In other words, your respiratory system. The common cold can do many of these things too but with flu symptoms will come on very quickly and you’ll usually feel a lot worse. With flu you’ll also usually run a fever over 101 degrees, have the chills, feel muscular aches and pains, have a headache, not feel like eating, and/or have a dry cough.

I’ve had the real, honest-to-God flu a few times in my life and it really is akin to feeling like you’ve been hit by the proverbial bus. With a cold you can often still function, but with the flu, get the couch cushions fluffed and fresh batteries in the remote—you are not going to be doing much of anything until the virus runs its course.

Most of us who get the flu feel like you-know-what for a few days and then we bounce back and get back to business. But the flu can be deadly for some people so we definitely need to take it seriously when it strikes. The Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) website states that every year in the United States alone, more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from the flu and 36,000 people die from complications.

The CDC’s website also lists three key actions that we can take that may help reduce our risks of developing the flu this year. The first one, called “Take everyday preventive actions” is really reminiscent of the “Mother knows best” style of advice.

For example, when you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue. Then when you’ve finished achooing or coughing, toss the Kleenex in the trash. Don’t have a tissue handy? Cough or sneeze into the crook of your elbow.

Have you ever seen that poster that says something like “The top 10 causes of infection” and it shows 10 fingers on two hands? That poster is actually right on. Throughout the day, wash your hands often with soap and water. If you don’t have any soap and water available, then use hand sanitizer. Don’t just wait until you are ready to eat lunch to wash up; make it a point to clean your hands more often during the day.

I never thought I’d say this, but I now keep a big bottle of hand sanitizer in one of the drink holders of my minivan. I have a preschooler and every time I drop him off at school, I head back to the car and use the sanitizer to remove any adorable cooties I may have picked up. Seriously, if you told me three years ago that I’d be doing this I would have laughed at you. But three years ago I had a case of Type A influenza that turned into pneumonia in like five minutes so ever since then, I don’t mess around with germs. I also use those sanitizing wipes at Safeway that they keep near the door to clean off the handle of my shopping cart.

Also, you probably already know to keep your hands out of your mouth, but a lot of us rub our eyes and/or nose from time to time throughout the day. I once read an article on this topic that I thought was fascinating—it said that while our mouths actually have some germ-fighting abilities, our eyes and our noses really do not. So wiping that loose eyelash away from your eye might have made you ill last year, not the time you ate a taco at lunch without washing up thoroughly first.

In the second part of this article, we’ll go over more ways to help stay healthy this winter, and really, all year long.

References:

www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/preventing.htm

www.mayoclinic.com/health/influenza/DS00081/DSECTION=prevention

Add a Comment2 Comments

Expert HERWriter Guide Blogger

Anon - I looked at information about this game, and it seems like a wonderful idea. It makes sense that if children learn to wash their hands and cover their coughs at an early age, and continue to do this throughout their lives, not only will they be healthier but the rest of us will too. Thanks for sharing. Pat

March 17, 2010 - 5:48pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

There is a great germ-prevention method to keep away cold, flu, other contagious viruses - Germ Smarts for Kids. The kids learn how to both avoid AND keep from spreading germs. Since my child learned this at daycare, we no longer play the "pass the germs" game! We have only had 1 cold all fall after our child learned with this program " last year same time 3.

March 16, 2010 - 10:09pm
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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.

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