Friday, November 6, 2009

Protect Yourself From Colds & Flu: Lesson Three

Swiping your hands under the cold-water faucet for five seconds barely wakes up the germs waiting to give you a cold or a stomach disorder. You’ve watched “surgeons” on television scrub up. Suds everywhere, scrub up to the elbows, fingernail brush working cuticles.

Since you probably don’t plan to take out a gall bladder today you probably don’t have to be quite that vigilant. Let’s settle for a little hot water, a little soap, and TIME. You will bring your hands into the “safe” zone in about the same time it takes to sing Happy Birthday to yourself (silently, please, thank you).

My personal favorite silent scrubbing chant is “Go away colds. Go away flu. Go away colds. Go away flu.” I find that one truly inspiring. It’s 20 or 30 seconds invested at the sink rather than ten days of a cough and runny nose. Your call.

Remember we are NOT playing Howard Hughes here but simply using our common sense to stay as healthy as possible.

Be well. Breathe beautifully.

Protect Yourself From Colds & Flu: Lesson One

Protect Yourself From Colds & Flu: Lesson Two