My sister sent me an e-mail today with 6 useful tips how to avoid the H1N1 (or Hini (pronounced hi-knee) flu as SNL apparently likes to call it).
1. Frequent hand washing (which I support all year round).
2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of your face (unless you want to eat, bathe, or slap). I fail at this every time I read it, it's like telling a little kid they can't drink water, suddenly they are dehydrated and must have water.
3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.
4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.
5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.
6.* Drink as much of warm liquids as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.
4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.
5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.
6.* Drink as much of warm liquids as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.
I was talking to my coworker today and she said she was watching the Today show and they said your bathroom is probably the cleanest place in your house...which is strange to think, but in the end makes sense.
She also said that if you haven't changed your pillow in a few years 10% of your pillow's weight is dust mites. I googled...and you should be replacing your pillow(s) once every year.
Anyway, just thought I'd pass on the information. I'll post pictures from the U2/Muse concert soon.
3 comments:
If you don't want to buy new pillows every year, you can wash them in hot water with bleach! If you do it on a low spin cycle they don't get all lumpy either! :o) In case you wanted to know!
fantastic. I replace my pillows every 8 months. My hubby is convinced they get flat. I'm ahead of the curve.
I have 5 pillows - I can't replace them that often. Plus they start molding and that is when they are just right. I might have to dry the washing idea.
PS - You don't wanna take tamiflu. It sucks!
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