If you’re like me, I hate getting sick! I always cringe when people are sneezing and coughing, and blowing their nose near me. The last thing I want now is to catch whatever they have! If my coworker is feeling ill, I want her to stay home and not spread whatever she has onto me. Getting sick sucks and I hate every aspect of it.

I have been able to avoid getting the flu for the past 3 years…that is until this year. I know the rampant growth of the infamous Swine Flu, or H1N1 virus is on everyone’s mind these days and I’m sure you’ve already researched at least a little about it to become more knowledgeable of it. That’s a good thing since we’re right smack in the middle of the winter season. For the past several weeks now, it has been the coldest of the season so far here in the suburbs of Maryland and learning ways to stay healthy this summer is not a bad idea. I’ve already been sick with the flu earlier this year and I do not want to catch it again. Here are some of the extra precautions I practice whenever I am outside or in public area:

1. Always Wash Hands: When I arrive at work, I will wash my hands. Before I eat anything, I will wash my hands. After using the restroom, I will wash my hands. When I come home from work, I will wash my hands. When I’m out to the grocery store, I will wash my hands when I come home. When I shake many people’s hands, I will wash my hands. And when I don’t have a chance to wash my hands in between these activities, I will never touch my face with my hands. I will never eat any food with my unwashed hands, unless I’m using utensils. See where I’m going with this? Wash hands whenever possible. I also keep a bottle of hand sanitizer on my work desk. That helps too.

2. Wear Gloves: I don’t just wear gloves outside when it’s cold, I wear them indoors too. I try to wear them when grocery shopping. The shopping cart is used by dozens of different people every day and I doubt the shopping centers sanitize the carts at all. So by using my bare hands to push the carts, I’m contracting all kinds of germs on my hands. If I accidentally rub my eyes after pushing the cart, the chance of contracting those germs into my body becomes very high. If i’m wearing gloves, I will minimize that chance. I also wear gloves when riding on the bus or the metro. Those handrails are full of germs and holding onto them bare hands is illness waiting to happen.

3. Wear A Hat and Scarf: My mom always told me to wear a hat and scarf when going outside when I was a kid. I hated wearing them because I got too sweaty too quick. But my mom knew what she was talking about. Most of the body heat escapes through our neck up, so by covering our necks, faces and heads, we retain heat in our body. Being exposed to cold itself won’t get you sick, but your body’s immune system becomes more vulnerable at chillier temperatures and you become more prone to contracting germs and viruses. So keep warm and keep germs out!

These are a few simple tips that I practice everyday. You can also exercise more to become more healthy and drink lots of citrus juice to boost your vitamin C intake. They’re good tips as well. So stay warm, stay clean, and stay healthy and avoid getting sick this winter!