Coronavirus has made its way to Morris County this past week.
It is suddenly more real than ever, and we must take our precautions to prevent the spread of this flu.
My favorite website to get the facts and updates are:
Common Everyday Things You Can Do:
1. Wash your hands
20 SECONDS! That's all it takes to get a great cleaning. Soap up, and sing your favorite song. Some good ones are "Happy Birthday", "Stayin' Alive", "The Spongebob Theme Song" or "Somewhere Over the Rainbow".
Some times during the day you may forget to do this:
- When you get home from running errands
- Before & after your physical therapy appointment, eating and working out
2. Sanitize commonly touched surfaces
Some surfaces you may forget:
- Faucets
- Door nobs
- Steering wheel & clutch
- Keyboard & mouse
- Arm rests
- Banister
- Your favorite purse/wallet
- Phone!!!
- Keys
- Earbuds/Headphones
- Remote/Clicker
- Lightswitches
(Make sure to comment & other goods ones you think of!!)
3. Some foods may help your immune system!
Some foods are considered "superfoods"! They're high in essential vitamins and nutrients!
- Citrus - High in vitamin C! Oranges, lemons, limes, clementines
- Red Bell Peppers - also very high in vitamin C
- Broccoli - Packed with vitamins A, C, and E, as well as many other antioxidants and fiber
- Spinach - Rich in vitamin C. It's also packed with numerous antioxidants and beta-carotene, which may increase the infection-fighting ability of our immune systems. Eat as raw as possible!
- Yogurt & Probiotics - yogurt has live & active cultures that can help fight "bugs" and give your immune system a boost. It also has vitamin D!
- Almonds - vitamin E
- Green Tea - high in the antioxidant EGCG that helps boost your immune function
- Papaya - vitamin C & it has a digestive enzyme called papain that has anti-inflammatory effects.
- Kiwi - full of a ton of essential nutrients, including folate, potassium, vitamin K, & vitamin C
- Poultry - Poultry, such as chicken and turkey, is high in vitamin B-6. It also helps in the formation of new red blood cells!
- Sunflower Seeds - phosphorous, magnesium, and vitamin B-6. They’re also incredibly high in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant.
Foods that help once you have a cold/are sick
- Ginger - help with nausea and stomach aches as well as inflammation (helps with sore throats)
- Tumeric - anti-inflammatory
- Papaya - anti-inflammatory
- Poultry stock - improves cold symptoms and gut health
*This is meant to be educational and informative - not medical advice! Make sure you consult your medical doctor with any questions.*
4. Sleep
Research revealed that sleeping even 7 hours or less a night can increase your chances of a cold by 3 times.
Try to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night to not only help your immune function, but prevent inflammation, weight gain, heart disease, and increase your concentration and mood.
5. Exercise
Physical activity may help flush bacteria out of the lungs and airways.
Exercise changes our antibodies and white blood cells to circulate more rapidly. This helps detect illnesses earlier than they might have before (no one knows whether these changes help prevent infections).
The brief rise in body temperature during and right after exercise may prevent bacteria from growing. This temperature rise may help the body fight infection better (This is similar to what happens when you have a fever).
Exercise slows down the release of stress hormones. Some stress increases the chance of illness. Lower stress hormones may protect against illness.
Exercise is good for you, but, you should not overdo it. People who already exercise should not exercise more just to increase their immunity.
6. Social Distancing
Of course, not coming in contact with people will lower your chances of getting sick! The "WHO" guidelines are to stay 3-feet away from people who are coughing and sneezing.
Avoid large crowds, and only go out when you have to.
This is a scary time, and all we can do is our part! Do your best to prevent the spread of any bacteria & viruses. Practice safety, understanding and patience. Even if you are in a low risk category, make sure to avoid coming in contact with those who are at high risk.
Remember: we need to support each other and be there for one another. Germs aren't transmitted through the phone! Most people are working from home and are going crazy without social interaction. Call up your friends and family to keep them company! Good thing most phone plans have unlimited talk and text!!
Stay smart. Stay healthy. Stay Safe.
Comentarios