The most basic personal hygiene practice you learned as a child may be the one that prevents you from calling in sick this flu season! We’ve all been there– the body aches, the chills, the relentless fever and constant runny nose… ugh! Laying on the couch shivering under two blankets with an empty box of tissues is not exactly my idea of playing hooky. This cold and flu season is sure to be a doozy, so what precautions can we take to avoid being miserable?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest the simple act of frequently washing your hands to be one of the most vital ways to prevent the spreading of colds and influenza viruses. While the following suggestions are not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, these simple practices will contribute to the prevention of seasonal flu in addition to following other precautions as suggested by the CDC:
• Hands off! I know it’s tempting, but avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. It’s like giving a jerk an invite to your party, but he ends up crashing it with about 10 million of his obnoxiously drunk friends.
• Stay home if you’re sick! Don’t be a hero, even Wonder Woman has to take a sick day every once in awhile.
• Avoid close-contact with anyone who is sick. It’s not anything personal, you just like not having to wipe your nose every 10 seconds.
• Cover your nose and mouth if you cough or sneeze with a tissue. Throw the tissue away and wash your hands, ASAP.
• Wipe your keyboard, mouse, and desk with a disinfectant wipe daily. While you’re at it– clean your phone too!
• Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water for 15-20 seconds or longer. Sing “Happy Birthday” 2 or 3 times if it will help you remember. Don’t forget to clean under your nails!
• No sink available? Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer like it’s the best thing since sliced bread.
Check out these tried & true germ-fighters:
1. Frais Everyday Hand Sanitizer – If there were such a thing as a swanky hand sanitizer, this would be it! Frais uses 66% eco-friendly sugarcane alcohol and eight Australian-blended essential oils in their hand sanitizer that kills 99.9% of common germs that may cause illness.*
2. 13 Soap (Unlucky For Dirt) from Lush – This rose and oregano soap is more than just pretty, it’s powerful! Oregano oil has natural anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-parasitic, and anti-fungal qualities. Wash potential illness-causing germs down the drain by washing your hands with this translucent, palm-free soap.
3. Purell Sanitizing Hand Wipes – These individually wrapped sanitizing wipes are perfect for my purse or on-the-go when a bottle of hand-sanitizer isn’t the easiest thing to have around. I love having these in the car to hold me over until I can get to a sink!
* Frais Luxury Products, FAQ’s
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
What about any organic sanitizers? I started using this stuff called EO Organic Hand Sanitizer. It still has some alcohol in it, but seems to be less irritant for sensitive skin. It has lavendar and echinecea in it too…kind of lovely. And it is a spray!
Hi D!
I haven’t tried the EO, but according to the CDC and sites like Mayo Clinic– the most effective hand sanitizers have bases of at least 60% alcohol or higher. In my poking around, most of the larger brands do have a standard content of 60% and up. EO uses an organic alcohol base of 62% according to their site, so that’s awesome! And in a spray too? Double score!
xo
Amber