Since the flu season is really kicking up here, I thought I'd share my top 2 tips for avoiding illness. Ever since I've adopted these habits, it has helped greatly. I think I've mentioned these on here before, but here they are again.
1. Wash your hands immediately when you get home—I set my purse down, take off my coat, then immediately go to the kitchen sink to either wash with soap or use GermX. That way all germs stop there. And, obviously, for this to work you have to properly wash your hands for a little while; a quick rinse-and-go will not work here. Same with GermX, follow the proper instructions for maximum benefit.
2. Don't touch your face with your fingers or palm—This one took a lot of work, but now it's just another old habit. I never touch my nose, eyes, or mouth with my hands when I am out and about. I allow myself to at home (since I've already washed my hands when I walked in the door) but not while I'm out of the house. If my nose itches, I use the back of my wrist or lower sleeve; basically a surface that has not come into direct contact with other things. I also use my elbows and the side of my body to open doors to avoid touching the handles, if possible.
Being at high risk, and since it's a really big deal if I get sick, I realize I am hyper-aware of this stuff compared to the average joe. There are SO many surfaces we encounter that no one ever wipes down such as menus (sometimes wiped down quickly with a cloth, but who knows how clean it is), freezer/fridge door handles, elevator buttons (I push these with my elbow if possible), soda fountain buttons, buttons for anything really, credit card pens, touch screens, gas pumps, railings, the pen your waitress brings you to sign the receipt (BYOP, I say—bring your own pen; I almost always use my pen from my purse), shopping cart handles (though some stores offer wipes now, which is nice), food trays, on and on.
Avoid germs like a person who has CF, haha!
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