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Hot tips to fight colds this winter

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According to experts, flu symptoms usually start anywhere between one and four days after you are infected, so you may end up infecting others long before you know that you are sick.

Hearing a sniffle from the desk next to you? Beware, the flu season is upon us and the workplace is a potential “danger zone” for coughing, sneezing and germs.

Why? Because confined spaces and limited fresh air turn the office into a breeding ground for germs and flu.

Flu droplets

According to the US Centres for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), people with flu can spread it to others up to about six feet away, mainly by droplets made when they cough, sneeze or talk.

Touching surfaces or objects then touching your own mouth also helps the virus to spread.

The flu virus is associated with about 36 000 deaths and half a million hospitalisations every year and is to blame for 40 million days of missed work worldwide annually, yet a recent online survey found that 84% of employees admit going to work while sick.

PharmaChoice spokeswoman, pharmacist Liezl van Tonder says:

“Flu symptoms start one to four days after the virus enters the body, so you may pass on the flu to someone else before you realise you are sick.

Therefore it is important to boost your immune system and protect yourself over the flu season to ensure risks are minimised.”

Wash your hands often

This is especially important before eating, after using the restroom, after meetings, after using shared equipment, shaking hands and after being outside.

Keep some waterless hand sanitiser at your desk or in your bag so you can avoid visiting the restroom hundreds of times a day.”

“Germ-infested hotspots include sink taps, door handles and your office keyboard, mouse and coffee machine. Give objects you touch often a once-a-week wipe down to disinfect. By doing this you may avoid getting germs and spreading any you may have.”

Immune boost

She recommends boosting your immune system.

“When our immune systems are robust and the viral exposure is relatively limited, we shrug off any attacks.

“But when the viral contact is repeated and quite heavy, or when our immune systems are compromised, for instance at the change of season, or in the cold of winter, we succumb and get a cold or flu.”

She suggests a maintenance plan of an immune booster - usually two capsules a day with food - and at least half a glass of water for eight weeks.

“Give it a break for a week and then start again,” she adds.

“Choose a supplement with a powerhouse of vitamins and anti-oxidants that contains highly rated boosters provided by nature.”

She says it will work in two ways: by helping to reduce susceptibility to cold and flu infection and by reducing the duration and severity of colds and flu.

Restful sleep

According to Van Tonder plenty of sleep is also key in maintaining a healthy lifestyle in the winter as well as eating a healthy, balanced diet, keeping hydrated and exercising.

“Ensure you limit the spread of germs, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you sneeze or cough and ensure you throw it away. One sneeze can spray up to 3 000 infectious droplets into the air,” she said.

She said if someone became sick, it was best to stay at home for 24 hours after the fever had broken, if possible.

The flu shot, which was an effective way to stop flu transmission, was also an option.

“In healthy adults, colds and flu bugs are often no more than simply an inconvenience. But they can make you vulnerable to respiratory tract infections. So take them seriously, and have a sniffle-free winter.”

Author: 
PRETORIA - IOL
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