How to Prevent Colds This Season

Just because the peak of cold and flu season is approaching, doesn't mean you have to catch it. Protect yourself from seasonal sneezing and headaches by following the guidelines below:

1. Wash hands. Think of washing your hands as a necessity - it's one of the most important steps we can take to keep our bodies healthy. By lathering up with soap and running your hands under warm or cold water, you can lessen your chances of getting sick and spreading germs. Below is a list of the most essential times you should be washing up:  

• Before preparing or eating food
• After blowing your nose
• After touching garbage
• Before treating a cut or wound
• Before and after caring for someone who is sick

2. Be careful when sharing. Be cautious when sharing food with others, as this can be an immediate way to spread germs. If you have children at home, teach them the importance of not sharing food or other things at school that come in contact with your mouth. For example, drinking from the same juice box or double dipping potato chips. 

3. Cover when coughing. Whether you’re sick or not, it’s a good idea to cover your mouth when coughing (or sneezing). It’s easy for germs to spread through saliva, so help protect your community and your loved ones by taking precautionary steps to stop the spread of germs. Coughing or sneezing into a tissue is the best way to cover up, but if you don’t have time to grab one, sneeze into your elbow instead. 

4. Avoid touching your face. Touching your eyes, nose, and mouth after being exposed to germs is one way to boost your odds of getting infected. But if you do need to touch any of these spots, wash your hands prior to doing so. This will at least help to protect you from the virus if you’ve come in contact with it.

Catching a cold isn’t fun for anyone, but if you take steps to prevent the spread of germs, you can significantly lower your chances of becoming sick.

For more tips on how to stay healthy this season, connect with Great South Bay Surgical Associates on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+!

At Great South Bay Surgical Associates, we pride ourselves in the multitude of services and procedures that we offer to our patients in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Comprised of eight leading doctors in the surgical field, our team is committed to providing exceptional services by using state of the art technologies while upholding our traditional values of caring and quality.

For more information or to schedule a consultation, click here to view our website or call 631-321-6801 today.