Fall is here! Many kids are heading back to the classroom, in-person concerts and sporting events are picking up again, and you might even be planning a much-deserved vacation. What do all of these things have in common? They all involve crowds.
How Can You Stay Healthy?
How do you stay healthy in a crowd during the Age of Covid? Here are some of our top tips on ways to stay safe and healthy this fall, winter, and beyond.
Wash hands properly. While hand sanitizers can be effective in a pinch, handwashing is the gold standard for preventing the spread of infection. Here’s why: Germs can easily travel from contaminated surfaces to your hands. When you then touch your eyes, nose, or mouth, these harmful pathogens can enter the body and find their way into your bloodstream. The pathogens can then travel to your respiratory tract and can even disrupt your gut microbiome. Frequent handwashing can help prevent this transmission, keeping both you and the people you love healthy.
According to the CDC, there are five key steps you should follow when washing your hands.
- Wet your hands with clean, running water (hot or cold), turn off the tap and apply soap.
- Lather the back of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
- Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds (about the time it takes to sing the Happy Birthday song twice).
- Rinse your hands well under running water.
- Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
Keep your hands in your pockets. This might sound like strange advice, but keeping your hands in your pockets can keep you from touching your face. This is especially important because where there are crowds, there are germs—millions of them—on every surface. The less you touch, the less chance you have of coming into contact with a potential bad actor.
Get enough sleep. Sleep can have a significant impact on how you feel, both emotionally and physically. What can you do to make high-quality sleep part of your self-care routine? Start by evaluating your current sleep schedule. Are you eating or drinking right before bed? It’s also important to minimize stimulants like caffeine and sugar.
Reducing stress before bedtime is important too. If you experience work-related stress, think about the best ways to decompress after a hard day’s work. These might include talking to a friend or family member, going for a run, or unwinding with your favorite book. Next, make sure that your bedroom is truly your sanctuary. Keep work out of the bedroom and also try to limit distractions like a television, computer, or cellphone. The goal is to make your bedroom all about relaxation.
Nourish your body. Part of being well nourished involves taking care of your gut. The bacteria that make up your microbiome can have a significant impact on your health, including immunity. In fact, about 70 percent of your immune system resides in your gut. Your gut microbiome acts as a gatekeeper, teaching key immune cells (like your T-cells) how to tell the difference between pathogens and your own tissue. When harmful invaders do mount an attack, your T-cells swoop in to mediate the situation and destroy the infected cells. Because your gut health and your immune health are so closely tied together, it’s important to support your gut’s beneficial bacteria with probiotics, as well as prebiotics, which act like food for your friendly flora, helping them grow.
Incorporating a clinically studied probiotic into your daily routine is a great way to prioritize your gut health. A quality probiotic can help your beneficial bacteria flourish and keep harmful microbes in check. Supplemental probiotics also reduce gas, bloating, and other common GI issues. Look for a probiotic that’s shelf-stable and guaranteed to be alive and viable at the time of consumption.
Another way to nourish your body is with a diet filled with fruits and vegetables. Green vegetables are especially essential for a strong immune system, proper gut health, and healthy detoxification. Most importantly, greens help keep your body’s pH in balance thanks to their alkalizing properties. An easy way to get your quota is by incorporating a nutrient-dense powdered green drink mix into your routine. When choosing a green drink mix, look for ingredients like chlorella, kelp, wheatgrass, and barley grass. These greens are packed with an array of concentrated vitamins and minerals. Just be sure to check the ingredients in your pre-mixed powder to make sure you aren’t getting added sugar or artificial flavors.
Try a supplement. Certain supplements can be real allies, helping to keep your body strong and healthy. One of these supplements we recommend looking into is Aged Garlic Extract (AGE).
AGE is one of the most extensively researched herbal medicines available today and it offers a wide range of health benefits. Studies show that AGE supports healthy blood pressure levels, keeps harmful cholesterol in check, protects LDL cholesterol from oxidation, increases adiponectin (a hormone that protects against insulin resistance), combats harmful clotting, and more.1 AGE also helps to reduce inflammation and promotes better circulation. Not just any garlic supplement will do though. Choose an AGE supplement that’s backed by solid clinical research and produced through a proprietary aging process that eliminates side effects while maximizing health benefits.
It can be a challenge to stay healthy in crowd. These tips can’t guarantee that you and your children will stay 100 percent germ-free, but they will go surprisingly far towards limiting your potential sick days and keep you as healthy as possible.
References
- The Heart of the Matter. Delicious Living. 2019
This article is for informational purposes only. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.
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