With the arrival of fall comes seasonal illnesses like the common cold and the flu. Sicknesses increase during the fall season because the cooler air temperature can often affect our immune systems and bring about increased susceptibility to colds and flus.
Here at South Coast Post Acute, we want to limit the amount of illness that our post acute care community is exposed to this season. Since no one enjoys getting sick, our south coast skilled staff recommends our residents consider the following in order to stay at an optimal health level this autumn.
Wash Your Hands
Your hands are susceptible to germs as a result of the multiple surfaces you come in contact with during the day. If you put your hands near your mouth, eyes, and ears, it is easy for germs and viruses to make their way into your body. Be conscious of hand washing, especially before eating, as it is one of the best ways to prevent getting sick.
Maintain Healthy Habits
When you take care of yourself, your immune system is strong enough to fight off infections. Maintaining healthy habits of consuming a balanced diet as well as getting the proper amount of sleep supports your body’s processes. Make sure to eat three meals a day and sleep for 8 -10 hours a night to keep your body functioning at its best.
Gargle Water
One study showed that people who gargled plain water are 3 times less likely to contract an upper respiratory illness than those who did not gargle. Surprising, but this may be a very simple way to wash out the bacteria that might be lingering in your mouth and throat. It is recommended to keep swooshing the tap water around your mouth for 60 seconds and spitting it out.
South Coast Post Acute understands that falling ill cannot only deter short-term health, but can cause long term health consequences if left untreated. We want to encourage our post acute care community to stay healthy this fall. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Real People. Remarkable Care. South Coast Post Acute.