February 21, 2011 with 8 Comments

272.

How to Avoid the Dreaded Flu

It’s here. The dreaded influenza season is here in full force.

You may already know the basic symptoms of the flu: high fevers, body aches, cough, runny nose, and overall feeling like you’d rather die. What you may not know is how pretty and intricate the influenza virus is as depicted in this picture.

If you’re still trying to sneak by another flu season without it, here are some tips on how to avoid the dreaded flu virus.

1. Keep your mouth shut. I mean when you cough, make sure you keep your mouth closed. Don’t just turn your face around. Cover your mouth. Use a tissue preferably.

2. Keep your hands washed. Wash them regularly. Wash them frequently. If you use soap, wash them for at least 15-20 seconds. Try singing your ABC’s while washing your hands, or even the happy birthday tune. Alternatively, if you don’t mind your skin falling off, use the antibacterial soaps. They work.

3. Keep your eyes open. There are plenty of sick folks everywhere. Watch for them and avoid them. I know that sounds rude, but you are trying to stay healthy, aren’t you? If the lady sitting next to you in church has been sneezing, I wouldn’t give her a big hug. You get the point. If the cashier at the store blows her nose before rining you up, you may want to change lanes. Just saying.

4. Keep your kids home. You’ve got to be socially conscious in this and be sensitive to others. If your kids are sick, don’t take them to the church nursery. That’s how germs spread. If you think it’s hard for adults to remember to wash their hands all day long, I can guarantee you your kid won’t remember. So do the world a favor and use conservative judgment in this area. Every mom in your church will thank you!

5. Keep your body rested. A healthy body tends to remain healthy. If you’re running yourself down with poor sleep habits and poor nutrition, your reserve will be low. So give yourself a break: try getting at least 7 hours of sleep a night and drink your orange juice regularly. I have a feeling some of you will have plenty of questions about vitamins and supplements. Why don’t you save them for questions in the comments section. I’ll try to answer them as they come. But I’ll throw in my personal preference here: garlic smells especially in the morning no matter its health benefits.

6. Keep your doctor near you. Yep, I did say that. I’m putting a plug in for your primary care physician. It may be too late for you to get a flu shot this season, but if you’re starting to feel sick and get high fevers, visit your doctor and do it early on. Tamiflu is an anti-flu medication that if started must be done within 48 hours of symptoms.  You may not be a candidate for Tamiflu, but the sooner your seek medical attention when you get sick the easier the treatment will be.

So there you have it – some basic flu prevention tactics. Got more questions? Ask Dr.Lina in the comments section.

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  • Ramzi

    Where is juke?

  • Shoebox

    At what point (when you think you have the flu) should you go to the doctor?

  • emilyvj

    When does the fall flu shot wear off, and can you get another one (Walgreens still has them!)? I always get sick from airplanes and am about to embark on my longest plane ride ever…and I do NOT want the flu on vacation :/

  • Lina

    Indications to see your doctor if you have flu symptoms:
    1. Vomiting and can’t keep down any clear liquids.
    2. Prolonged fever greater than 3-5 days.
    3. Any trouble breathing or cough that doesn’t get better after 5 days without presence of fever.
    4. If you have a history of asthma, heart disease or immunosuppressive illness you must see your doctor right away as you may be a candidate for anti flu treatment.

    That should cover the basics! Good to hear from you shoebox!

  • emilyvj

    PS….I love emergen-c! This my other guard against sickness… Raspberry tastes great (especially in orange juice or add some crystal light lemonade to it!)

  • Lina

    Emily- the flu season can last thru April which is why some health departments and walgreens have continued to offer the vaccine. Once you get the shot it will cover you for a few months thru that years flu season. I’m not sure I would bother with the flu shot myself this late in the season, but I would make sure you carry a hand sanitized on your vacation, and don’t shake hands with the guy sitting next to you on the plane!

    Have fun in japan!

  • emilyvj

    I guess this means I’ll be introducing the “pound it” while in Japan! I’ve already been warned their bathrooms don’t have soap…. Which is why I’m stocking up on soap leaves (best travel idea ever!)!

  • Andrea

    I hate the fact that I work in the medical field but some of my co-workers come to work coughing and sneezing all over everybody-including our patients! Any suggestions to make to them or to our boss? We don’t get sick/personal time so we do lose pay if we have to call in sick, but when 4 people get sick in the office because of one person’s lack of consideration, it’s a problem.