Avoid Germs: Lessen Risk of Infection and Reduce the Spread

What Are Germs?

Germs are microscopic agents or organisms, such as bacteria and viruses, which are capable of causing disease.  They are found in the air you breathe, the earth you walk on, the food you eat, and, well – just about any surface you can imagine!

How to Avoid Germs

Germs are everywhere, so it’s unrealistic to expect that you can avoid contact with them altogether.  However, through diligent effort, it’s possible to lessen your risk of infection and reduce the spread of germs onto others.

4 Ways to Lessen Risk of Infection & Reduce Spread of Germs

Personal Hygiene

Shower. Cleanse your body regularly and especially after exercising to prevent skin infections such as staphylococcus aureus infections.

Wash hands. Wash your hands throughout the day to prevent bacteria from spreading onto other surfaces you touch.  Washing your hands is the best way to protect yourself and others from contracting infectious diseases. 

When to wash hands:

• After using the washroom
• After coughing, sneezing, blowing your nose
• Upon returning home from any outing
• Before handling/eating food
• After touching pets

Practice Oral Hygiene. Oral hygiene is just as important as any other type of personal hygiene – actually, probably even more so!  Your mouth can become the perfect portal for bacteria to enter your bloodstream, especially if you have chronically inflamed gums.  Poor oral hygiene has even been shown to be a contributing factor to infections such as pneumonia!  How scary!

Launder Clothing.  If there’s one thing that touches many surfaces, it’s your clothes!  Your clothes touch chairs, couches, benches, floors, and so on!  If you are frequenting areas outside of your home, your clothes may come into contact with numerous germ-laden surfaces!  Regularly washing your clothes ensures that those germs don’t transfer onto your body or other surfaces around your house.

Nutrition

Nutrient Dense Foods.  Eat nutritious foods to ensure your body is equipped to fight infections!  Foods that are nutrient dense contain potent antiviral, antibacterial, & anti-inflammatory properties necessary for protecting your body against disease.

Health & Wellness

Don’t Smoke.  Smoking suppresses your immune system.  Stop smoking to help build up your body’s own natural defenses.

Exercise.  Exercise is good for your health and boosts your immune system. 

Sleep.  Sleep is vital for your body to function well.  Lack of sleep can also suppress your immune system.

Best Practices

Other things you can do to ensure you avoid coming into contact with germs and prevent the spread of germs onto others are to:

• Disinfect high traffic surfaces
• Avoid cross contamination (don’t put your dirty cell phone on your clean kitchen counter where you will cook food, for example)
• Avoid socializing with others when you’re sick!
• Cough/sneeze on your sleeve (not your hand)
• Wear protective gear (gloves, face mask/ shield)