How To Avoid Becoming Sick From Communicable Diseases
Hand washing
The most overlooked and seemingly least respected way to avoid becoming sick is to wash your hands properly. This means wetting, applying soap, then scrubbing your hands and wrists with a soapy lather for at least 15 - 20 seconds, rinsing, and drying completely. This does not mean only splashing water on or immediately rinsing soap off, nor does proper drying include using a wet towel or using your clothing as a towel. Hand washing shortcuts will only leave the germs and chemicals you come into contact with on your hands and spread them to everything and everyone you touch. Don't take shortcuts and you'll significantly lessen the chances of becoming sick. Make sure you do it properly to get the most benefit from it. If no soap and water are available, use hand sanitizer. Don't think twice about washing your hands, just think of all the shared surfaces you touch each day and where all those other people's hands may have been. Happy hand washing!
Avoiding Ill People And Getting Enough Sleep
Avoiding ill people when possible and taking care when in their presence is another way to avoid becoming sick. This is not always possible or desired as our loved ones and friends can fall ill but there are things you can do to avoid becoming sick while in their presence. Avoiding tissues and handkerchiefs is important as is avoiding sneezes, coughs, and bodily fluids. If you live with or are simply caring for an ill person, be sure to disinfect surfaces such as doorknobs, phones, remotes, keyboards, etc. Depending on the person's illness, you may want to wash your hands prior to visiting with them to make sure you don't introduce them to any germs that could worsen their issues. After visiting with them, wash your hands. It takes only seconds to be done properly and is an excellent way to keep yourself and others from becoming ill.
Getting enough sleep is another way you can avoid becoming sick. Think of your body as a battery. Sleep recharges the body and it is during sleep that the body repairs itself. When you get enough sleep, your immune system has enough "power" to fight off diseases that make it past your body's other defenses. When we are sleep deprived, many systems in our bodies weaken or slow and our immune system is...not immune to sleep deprivation. Also, many people notice that they look worse because their body is lacking sleep. These signs may include tired looking eyes, under-eye bags, dull looking skin, and lines and wrinkles may appear or worsen, seemingly overnight. When your body feels or looks tired, you should heed the warning(s) and do everything possible to get more sleep to avoid illness and maintain your health.
Exercise, Nutrients, Water
Getting enough exercise is a no brainer that is much easier said than done for many people. Exercise has many benefits including strengthening connections in your brain, burning excess calories that would otherwise add to weight gain, and building muscle that burns fat even when you are resting. It is a proven fact that exercise will actually decrease the impact of or even reverse some medical conditions. Getting exercise is important to your health in a variety of ways.
Getting enough nutrients, healthy, whole foods is an important factor in avoiding illness. Most people simply cannot avoid the simple pleasures of eating some chocolate, pizza, or ice cream. It is not necessary to avoid these foods at all times, but it's to your benefit to treat yourself to these types of foods less often and opt for non processed, natural foods more often.
These foods are higher in nutrients and lower in calories than their processed and not so natural counterparts. With the proper nutrients at work within your body, your body will be better able to fight off illnesses and repair the daily damage that happens just from living and exercise. If you smoke or spend time around any people that do, if you drink alcohol, have insomnia, or are stressed, meeting your nutritional needs to counteract these issues becomes even more important if you do not lessen or stop these issues. When your nutritional needs are not being met, your body's defenses are weakened. You will more easily become ill when you are in any of these states from not only communicable diseases but also those that are not.
Another way to avoid becoming sick is to make sure you drink enough water. This is particularly important if you are living in high altitudes, are an athlete, working in hot humid temperatures, or already have chronic illnesses. Water is required for all body processes and when dehydrated you increase your chances of becoming ill or worsening current illnesses. Mucous membranes cannot do their jobs effectively (keeping germs at bay) when you are dehydrated and when this and other lines of defense are out of whack, it is easier for you to become sick from a variety of diseases.
When dehydrated you may also lack energy to perform various tasks, and your body's cells, tissues, and organs cannot perform their tasks to fight off disease. Tiredness, confusion, extreme thirst, irritability, and a lack of urination are just some of the symptoms of moderate to severe dehydration. If these signs are noticed, other body processes may have slowed due to a lack of water and the remedy is fast and cheap. Drinking water and even eating fresh fruits and vegetables will rehydrate you. Consuming produce will also provide some nutrients that will help your body perform the tasks needed to get you well and keep you well.
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