Although the Centers for Disease Control recently reported a decline in H1N1 cases in late December, chances are that you know someone who is sick with flu or a cold. Here’s how to help your friend or neighbor—while minimizing the chances of getting sick yourself.
Minimize contact: Sure, it’d be a nice gesture to watch a movie or catch up with a friend who has been isolated with the flu for a few days, but experts agree that staying away from a sick person is the key to staying well. Establish a drop-off point (the front doorstep is a fine place to leave things if your friend is mobile) or, barring that, keep visits to a minimum. And then wash your hands!
Soup is Super: Chicken Soup is more than just lunch. It’s scientifically proven to have anti-inflammatory properties. The steam from soup is also soothing to inflamed airways. And one has to eat. If your friend is a vegetarian, worry not: vegetable broth was also proven to have some positive effects. Some bland crackers will be a nice addition as well (and the salt is helpful).
Liquidate: Ask your friend what his or her favorite drink is. Unless it’s heavily caffeinated (caffeine can actually be de-hydrating), drop off a bunch. Staying hydrated is the key to getting well.
Bring on the entertainment: There’s nothing better than a video or a good book (or even a Hollywood gossip or golf magazine) when you’re sick enough to be isolated, but awake enough to require some kind of stimulation. Be creative—a mix CD or craft might also make someone’s day.
Check in: Call your friend a few times a day. Not only does this help to prevent feelings of isolation, it will also help you be aware of changes in your friend’s condition. If you’re too busy to do this yourself, form a brigade of friends. You never know when you might need similar help. But don’t call too much—sleep is another key to getting well. Every four hours will suffice.
Know when to call a doctor: If your friend reports rapid heartbeat, bloody vomit, inability to drink or eat, or is cranky, irritable, or devoid of energy, you might strongly suggest he or she call a doctor (and be ready to drive to the emergency room if needed). These are all signs of dehydration, according to the CDC.
If you must have contact—for example, if your friend is sick enough to require bedside help—wear a mask. You can laugh about this later, when your friend is well. And use Bio-Safe—this antibacterial skin protectant keeps the bad stuff out (like germs and chemicals) and keeps the good stuff in (like moisture and healthy bacteria) for up to four hours.
Dec 29th 09
Posted by Kelli Matthews in MRSA, Prevention
Anti-bacterial resistant staph infections, or MRSA come in two varieties. The most common, by far, is hospital-acquired. But it’s not the only type. Community-acquired MRSA occurs when someone who has not been in a hospital for at least a year contracts MRSA. And the rates for this type of MRSA are on the rise.
Did you know that viruses can live on surfaces (such as handles, door knobs and toys) for anywhere from two to eight hours? Imagine the number of hands that can come into contact with a surface like a banister in that amount of time. And assuming that in the thick of flu season people are being more diligent about handwashing is a mistake.
In fact, an article in Popular Science discussed a recent study that showed that 64% of women and just 32% of men washed their hands after using the bathroom. Clearly you need to be proactive about keeping yourself healthy!
Here are some tips:
Wash your hands. Often. For at least 20 seconds with soap and water.
Use a skin protectant like Bio-Safe. Bio-Safe bonds to the outer layer of your skin and keeps working for up to four hours. If you’re relying on sanitizers, keep in mind that a sanitizer only works until you touch something. Then? Contaminated again. Skin protectants won’t kill viruses, but help prevent by keeping them off your skin
Keep surfaces clean. The CDC has some suggestions: To prevent the spread of influenza virus it is important to keep surfaces (especially bedside tables, surfaces in the bathroom, kitchen counters and toys for children) clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant according to directions on the product label.
Be proactive! Take charge of your own health with these basic tips.
We recently came across this video from NPR about how viruses spread… both entertaining and informative. Enjoy.
Oct 26th 09
Posted by Kelli Matthews in Skin Health
We all know that proper hand washing is important to staying healthy. However, study after study shows that compliance with hand washing guidelines is low (even among health professionals). But why?
Dr. David Dyer at Infection Control Today says there are three reasons:
the amount of time needed for proper hand washing
the convenience and user-acceptability of hand washing and hand-drying facilities, and
the condition of the skin barrier.
Regardless of the reason, most people have found one of these barriers to be true for their day-to-day hand hygiene. Even for non-healthcare providers, time can be an issue. Public restrooms, particularly, can be less than ideal places to wash and dry your hands and washing your hands over and over (and over…) can really damage your skin and deter you from wanting to wash them like you know you should. My skin gets terribly dry in the winter, anyway, so this is my primary barrier.
Each reason has merit and a solution. Some tips:
Water between 95 and 105 degrees Farenheit is the most comfortable for hand washing and the least drying
Try a skin protectant like Bio-Safe. It bonds to the outer layer of your skin to keep the bad stuff out and keep your skin moisturized. With Bio-Safe, you can wash your hands normally and it protects from drying effects of hand sanitizers.
It’s already been a long flu season and experts expect the worst is yet to come, but because of the H1N1 (swine flu) virus, the likely duration and severity is really unknown. You’ve likely heard the basic flu prevention tips: wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, keep your hands away from your eyes and nose, use hand sanitizer and stay home if you’re feeling ill.
H1N1 and “regular” flu is spread three main ways: airborne, direct contact and droplet transmission. Knowing how flu is transmitted can help go from common sense to uncommonly smart about keeping you and your family safe.
Airborne: Dust particles or small respiratory droplets (from sneezes, coughs, laughter or just breathing) can be loaded with bacteria or viruses. From Dr. Greene, a pediatrician: “They hang in the air much like invisible smoke. They can travel on air currents over considerable distances.” Avoiding infection really means staying away from people who are sick.
Droplet: When the droplets are larger, bacteria and viruses won’t travel as far, but can also be loaded with bacteria or viruses. Washing your hands, sanitizing surfaces and using skin protectant to shield from infection and avoid droplet transmission.
Contact: Flu can be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact or through indirect contact when the virus is on another object. According to available data, infection through direct or indirect contact seems to be much smaller proportionately when compared to airborne and droplet transmission. However, clean hands and sanitized surfaces may help.
How does this apply to healthy skin? When your skin is damaged, viruses and bacteria can find their way into your bloodstream through the cracks (even minute ones).
Bio-Safe, an antibacterial skin protectant keeps the bad stuff out (like germs and chemicals) and keeps the good stuff in (like moisture and healthy bacteria) for up to four hours.
Keep hand washing, sanitizing and covering your cough with your elbow – but also bring along Bio-Safe to keep your skin healthy and viruses at bay.
